The Japan Society of Ultrasonics in Medicine guidelines on non-mass abnormalities of the breast
Toshikazu Ito, Ei Ueno, Tokiko Endo, Kiyoka Omoto, A Kuwajima, Nobuyuki Taniguchi, Hiroko Tsunoda, Eriko Tohno, Hideyuki Hashimoto, Yasuhisa Fujimoto, Takanori Watanabe
Abstract
It is possible to appropriately diagnose non-mass abnormalities by elucidating ultrasound non-mass abnormality findings and sharing the concept. If non-mass abnormalities can be diagnosed early, the number of curable cases could increase, leading to fewer breast cancer deaths. The Japan Society of Ultrasonics in Medicine (JSUM) Terminology/Diagnostic Criteria Committee has classified non-mass abnormalities into five subtypes: hypoechoic area in the mammary gland, abnormalities of the ducts, architectural distortion, multiple small cysts, and echogenic foci without a hypoechoic area. We herein define the findings for each of these subtypes and present a summary of the JSUM guidelines on non-mass abnormalities of the breast generated based on those findings.