Abstract: The value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) combined with shear wave elastography (SWE) in evaluating the resectability of breast cancer lesions were investigated. In this study, 103 breast cancer patients were selected as the research subjects, and they were divided into a surgical resection group (61 cases) and an inoperable group (42 cases) according to clinical conditions, all of whom underwent CEUS and SWE examinations. The results showed that the time to peak (TTP) in the inoperable group was shorter than that in the surgical resection group. The peak intensity (PI), the wash in slop (WIS), the mean value of Young’s modulus (Emean), the minimum value of Young’s modulus (Emin) and maximum value of Young’s modulus (Emax) were higher than those in the surgical resection group. TTP was negatively correlated with Emean, Emin and Emax, while PI and WIS were positively correlated with Emean, Emin and Emax (P<0.05). The risk of inoperable resection was 2.084 times higher in patients with low levels of TTP than in patients with high levels. The risk of inoperable resection in patients with high PI, WIS, Emean, Emin, and Emax levels was 1.883 times, 2.179 times, 2.443 times, 1.894 times, and 2.003 times higher than that in patients with low levels, respectively. The combined AUC of TTP, PI, WIS, Emean, Emin, and Emax for assessing the resectability of breast cancer lesions was 0.916, with a sensitivity of 85.71% and specificity of 83.61%, which was better than each parameter individually. It is suggested that the value of CEUS combined with SWE to assess the resectability of breast cancer lesions is more reliable and can provide a reference basis for accurate clinical assessment of surgical feasibility.

Key words: breast cancer, resectability, ultrasonography, shear wave elastography, Young’s modulus