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Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the significance of the resistive index (RI) in distinguishing between benign and malignant breast lesions and compare its diagnostic accuracy with histopathological diagnosis.
Methodology: [The study was conducted at the Radiology Department of PIMS Hospital in Islamabad over a period of six months. A total of 110 female patients with breast lumps were included in the study, and ultrasound imaging using a high- frequency linear transducer was performed. Doppler ultrasound was used to assess blood flow in the lesions and calculate the RI. The mean RI value from a minimum of three different vessels was determined for each lesion. The Doppler ultrasound findings and RI values were then correlated with histopathological results.
Results: The mean age of the patients was 47.35±5.45 years. Out of the 110 cases, 76 were diagnosed as benign and 34 as malignant. Histopathology confirmed 66 benign and 44 malignant lesions. Benign lesions showed peripheral vascularity and a mean decreased RI of 0.61±0.10, while malignant lesions exhibited central vascularity and a mean increased RI of 0.84±0.07. The RI demonstrated a sensitivity of 68.48%, specificity of 75%, positive predictive value of 85.53%, negative predictive value of 67.06%, and accuracy of 86.06% for differentiating between benign and malignant breast lesions.
Conclusion: The resistive index is a valuable non-invasive and relatively simple tool for distinguishing between benign and malignant breast lesions before histopathological diagnosis. Its high diagnostic accuracy suggests its potential as an adjunctive screening tool for breast cancer detection.