ObjectiveTo explore the application value of virtual touch tissue quantification(VTQ) and virtual touch tissue imaging quantification(VTIQ) in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules.

MethodsFifty-eight breast solid nodules in 58 patients with breast disease were collected.The internal shear wave velocity value (SWV) of the nodules were measured using VTQ and VTIQ techniques before operation or before biopsy, and the results of which were compared with the pathological results.The ROC curve of benign and malignant breast nodules diagnosed by VTQ and VTIQ techniques were drew to compare the diagnostic efficacy of two techniques.

ResultsFifty-eight breast nodules included 24 malignant nodules and 34 benign nodules.The mean value of SWV measured by VTQ and VTIQ in malignant nodules was significantly higher than that in benign nodules(P < 0.01).For benign and malignant breast nodules, there was no statistical significance in the SWV value measured by VTIQ and VTQ(P>0.05).The area under ROC curve of VTIQ technique(0.820) was higher than that of VTQ technique(0.702)(P < 0.05).The best threshold of SWV value in benign and malignant nodules diagnosed by VTQ technique was 3.97 m/s.With 3.97 m/s as cut-off point, the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy of differential diagnosis of benign and malignant nodules were 66.7%, 70.6% and 69.0%, respectively, and the AUC was 0.702.The optimal threshold of SWV value diagnosed by VTIQ was 4.09 m/s.With 4.09 m/s as the cut-off point, and the sensitivity, specificity and accuracy were 79.2%, 85.3% and 82.8%, respectively, and the AUC was 0.820.

ConclusionsThe efficacy of VTIQ technique is superior to VTQ in the differential diagnosis of benign and malignant breast nodules, and the VTIQ technique has a better clinical application prospect.