Ultrasound Assessment of Breast Development: Distinction Between Premature Thelarche and Precocious Puberty

OBJECTIVE. We analyzed the correlation between breast development and ultrasound-measured breast bud diameter. We also evaluated different breast ultrasound findings in pediatric subjects with precocious puberty and premature thelarche while comparing bone age and hormone levels. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We performed a retrospective study with a sample of 90 girls (mean age, 7.8 years) who underwent breast ultrasound for evaluation of early breast development between March 2011 and February 2013. We evaluated breast ultrasound grade, bud diameter, and clinical characteristics including bone age and hormone levels. Among the 90 girls, 69 were up to 8 years old (mean age, 7.3 years). We divided them into healthy, precocious puberty, and premature thelarche groups and evaluated the clinicoradiologic findings for each group. RESULTS. Breast ultrasound grade was correlated with age, bone age, bud diameter, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), and estradiol (E2). Bud diameter was correlat...