Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in differentiating granulomatous mastitis from invasive ductal carcinoma.

This study focuses on differentiating granulomatous mastitis (GM), a rare benign inflammatory breast condition, from invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) using conventional ultrasound (US) and contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS). Analyzing 39 GM and 64 IDC patients confirmed by pathology, the research identifies four distinct CEUS patterns of GM corresponding to different pathological stages, with the diffuse enhancement pattern on CEUS serving as an independent and significant feature distinguishing GM from IDC. GM lesions typically show diffuse hyperenhancement without radial vessels, whereas IDC lesions exhibit centripetal enhancement with radial vessels. The findings suggest that CEUS enhances diagnostic accuracy and clinical decision-making by revealing microvascular characteristics unique to GM, although further studies with larger samples and comparisons to other imaging modalities are recommended.