Pathologic nipple discharge : High-resolution vs. conventional ultrasound in the evaluation of ductal disease

In order to evaluate the contribution of high-resolution ultrasonography (13-15 MHz) to the study of the discharging breast, 67 women were subjected to ultrasonography and cytological analysis of mammary secretions. Final diagnoses were made at surgery (31 cases) or by means of 2-year clinical and instrumental follow-up. High-resolution ultrasound proved to have high sensitivity (75%) in the detection of ductal lesions, with a diagnostic accuracy of 85% and a negative predictive value (89.3 %) higher than conventional ultrasound (79.1% and 77 %). High-resolution ultrasound should be considered the first diagnostic imaging procedure to apply in the discharging breast. Ductography should be reserved mainly for cases not diagnosed upon ultrasonography.