Use of High-Frequency Transducers in Breast Sonography
Antonio Corvino, Carlo Varelli, Fabio Catalano, Giulio Cocco, Andrea Delli Pizzi, Andrea Boccatonda, Fabio Corvino, Luigi Basile, Orlando Catalano
Abstract
Sonography companies have recently developed high-frequency transducers (20-30 MHz) to image the skin and small joints. In this pictorial review, we present a number of settings where these probes can be usefully employed to scan the breast. These include skin abnormalities of the breast and axilla; nipple-areolar complex abnormalities; superficial breast parenchyma abnormalities; breast parenchyma abnormalities in subjects with implants; very small female breasts; peripheral areas in breasts of any size; pre-puberal breasts; male breasts; post-mastectomy chest wall; and intraoperative breast sonography. Comparatively, side-by-side images obtained with conventional breast frequencies and high frequencies are shown.