Prevalence and Sonographic Characteristics of Focal Breast Lesions in Clinically Suspected Patients at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar

Abstract

Breast lesions are a significant clinical concern worldwide and may be associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. With the advancement of ultrasonography, it has become possible to characterize benign cysts and solid masses with a high degree of confidence. Ultrasonography is particularly useful in women with dense breast tissue, where small, non-palpable masses may not be detected clinically but can be identified using ultrasound imaging. The present study was conducted to determine the prevalence and sonographic characteristics of focal breast lesions and to differentiate benign and malignant lesions using sonography. This cross-sectional study was conducted in the Department of Radiology, Breast Imaging Section, Khyber Teaching Hospital (KTH), Peshawar. Ultrasonography was performed to evaluate patients presenting with various breast symptoms. Patient data were assessed using clinical history and examination. A structured questionnaire was used to collect relevant information, including demographic details, medical history, and ultrasound features. Data analysis was performed using SPSS, and results were presented as frequencies and percentages. A total of 206 cases were evaluated, of which 69 (69%) were normal and 31 (31%) had focal breast lesions. Most female patients were in the age groups 17–30 years (15.5%), 31–50 years (55.82%), 51–70 years (27.7%), and 71–90 years (1.0%). Lesions were more common in the right breast (21%) than the left breast (10%). The upper outer quadrant was the most frequently involved site (13%), followed by the upper inner quadrant (7%), lower outer quadrant (6%), and lower inner quadrant (5%). Benign breast lesions (n=17) were mainly categorized as U2 and U3, with round (11%) and oval (7%) shapes. Malignant lesions (n=14) were categorized as U4 and U5, typically showing irregular (9%) and lobulated (4%) shapes. Most lesions were cystic (14%), solid (7%), and complex (10%), with echogenicity patterns including hypoechoic (11%), anechoic (5%), isoechoic (6%), and hyperechoic (9%). The study demonstrated that ultrasound is an effective modality for identifying and characterizing breast lesions. It helps differentiate solid from cystic lesions and benign from malignant lesions based on shape, echogenicity, and other sonographic features. 

Keywords: Breast lesions, Ultrasonography, Sonographic characteristics, BI-RADS, Prevalence.