An automatic full-field volumetric breast ultrasound scanner (AFFBUS) is a developing technology which was initiated to overcome the drawback of dense breast and to get a three-dimensional view of the breast.
On this page:
Components
scan station
view station
Scan station
Automatic ultrasound imaging acquisition of the breasts is done by acquiring volumetric data. In one method in use, a rigid pivoted stationary frame is manually pushed so that the transducer with gel applied on it comes in contact with the breast and an optimal scan is acquired.
View station
The acquired data is analysed and converted into thin tomographic slices. There is a facility to use a virtual probe by which multiple other scan planes can be acquired and a lesion, if visualised, can be better demonstrated with its adjacent structures. The viewing can be done in cine mode or by regular grey scale images. Post processing may be done and finally, the interpretation is done based on the data acquired in the various planes.
Artifacts
In addition to the expected artifacts, automated breast ultrasounds have specific artifacts not seen in handheld ultrasounds of the breast 1. As with all ultrasound while some artifacts lower the ease of interpretation of the examination, some may be useful, such a 'skip' artifact. A skip artifact happens when the transducer makes a tiny jump because of the interaction of a transducer programmed to run at a constant speed, and an area of change in tissue density 2.
Advantages
good demonstration of breast anatomy
reproducible images due to improved lesion localisation
provides information for CAD of breast lesion
better overview of breast anatomy
negative reading competence improved
Disadvantages
Due to high pick up and demonstration of lesions, the rate of inadvertent aspirations and biopsy is high.