Optimal scanning technique to cover the whole breast using an automated breast volume scanner

The aim of this study was to assess the scanning technique for covering the whole breast using a commercially available automated breast ultrasonography (US) system. A total of 40 patients in the supine position underwent automated breast US (ABVS: Siemens Medical Solutions, Mountain View, CA, USA) and hand-held US. The scanning included sequential scans in the upper-outer, lower-outer, lower-inner, and upper-inner regions. After scanning all four segments of each breast using ABVS, hand-held US was performed in all the patients. The detectability of the lesions using the ABVS technique compared with that using the handheld US was evaluated. The average scanning time was compared between any two of the three examiners with various lengths of experience in breast US. In all, 61 lesions were detected by hand-held US. The average size of the lesions was 7.7 mm (range 2.5-26.0 mm). The number of detected lesions by ABVS was consistent with those found by hand-held US in each patient. The average total scanning time for each examiner using ABVS was 10.9, 11.1, and 11.5 min, respectively. No significant difference was found in the total scanning time between any two of the three examiners. The four-scans technique for the major segments of the breast is thought to be an operator-independent, feasible method for performing automated breast US.