Breast ultrasound for surgeons.

Until recently, use of ultrasound in the breast was limited primarily to the differentiation of the solid versus cystic nature of nonpalpable, mammographically-detected masses. Advancements in ultrasound technology have allowed for delineation of specific ultrasonographic characteristics of breast masses and, as such, placement of these masses into categories based on their relative risk of malignancy. Depending on that relative risk, ultrasound-guided needle aspiration and/or core biopsy of these masses may be performed. Both diagnostic ultrasound and ultrasound-guided needle biopsy of the breast have been demonstrated to be quite accurate. These techniques may avoid many unnecessary open biopsies for benign lesions and facilitate therapeutic planning for malignant lesions.