Correlation of the Histopathology of Focal Breast Lesions with Ultrasound Derived Calculation of Strain Ratio

In recent years, the diagnostic confidence of B-mode ultrasound has been strengthened by innovations including tissue Doppler techniques and imaging of tissue elasticity. Elasticity is the ratio of the strain (pressure) required to induce relative elongation or distention (Figure 1). The intrinsic elasticity of biological tissue is altered by physiologic aging and pathologic processes such as inflammation and tumorigenesis. Real-time ultra sound with off-line analysis allows functional tissue elasticity changes to be depicted (Figure 2).