• H Prosch, C Halbwachs, C Strobl, L-M Reisner, M Hondl, M Weber, and G H Mostbeck.
• Abteilung für Allgemeine Radiologie und Kinderradiologie, Medizinische Universität Wien. helmut.prosch@meduniwien.ac.at
• Ultraschall Med. 2011 Oct 1; 32 (5): 504-10.

PurposeAutomated breast ultrasound (ABUS) is a potentially valuable adjunct to mammography in breast cancer screening. The reliability and the inter-observer variability in the BI-RADS classification, compared to handheld ultrasound (US), as well as the duration of the examination and patient comfort have only been investigated in a limited number of papers to date.Materials And MethodsIn a prospective study, we examined 148 breasts of 76 patients with handheld US and ABUS. The ABUS data were evaluated separately by two investigators. Patient comfort was assessed using a standardized questionnaire.ResultsThe inter-observer agreement for the BI-RADS classification among the two observers using ABUS was high (κ = 0,750), the agreement with handheld US was moderate. The sensitivity in the detection of breast cancer was 87.5 % for handheld US and 75 % for the ABUS evaluation by observer 1. The sensitivity was 87.5 % for the ABUS evaluation and 83 % for mammography by observer 2. The ABUS examination was rated as completely painless by 64 % of the patients. 25 % of the patients indicated minor pain, and 10 % indicated moderate pain. Handheld US was rated as completely painless by 66 % of the patients. 26 % of the patients indicated minor pain, and 8 % indicated moderate pain.ConclusionABUS examinations focusing on the BIRADS classification have low inter-observer variability, compared to handheld US. The sensitivity of ABUS did not differ significantly from handheld US.© Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

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