Automated breast ultrasound (ABUS) is a recently introduced ultrasonography technique, developed with the purpose to standardize breast ultrasonography and overcome some limitations of handheld ultrasound (HHUS), such as operator dependence and the considerable amount of medical time necessary to perform and interpret HHUS. This new ultrasonography technique separates the moment of image acquisition (that may be performed also by a technician) from that of its interpretation, increasing reproducibility, reducing operator-dependence and physician time. Moreover, multiplanar reconstructions, especially the coronal view, introduce new diagnostic information. ABUS, with those advantages, has the potential to be used as an adjunctive tool to screening mammography, especially in the dense breast, where mammography has a relatively low sensitivity. Women's awareness of risks related to breast density is a hot topic, especially in the USA where legislative breast density notification laws increase the demand for supplemental ultrasound screening. Therefore, ABUS might have the potential to respond to this need. The purpose of this article is to present a summary of current state-of-the-art of ABUS technology and applications, with an emphasis on breast cancer screening. This article discusses also how to overcome some ABUS limitations, in order to be familiar with the new technique.

History A 65-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician with a history of progressive abdominal pain mainly in the upper quadrants, nausea, and edema in the bilateral symmetric lower extremities. Other symptoms and use of medication or related drugs were denied. Physical examination findings were normal. The serum lactate dehydrogenase level was 302 U/L (5.04 μkat/L) (reference range, <247 U/L [4.12 μkat/L]), and all other laboratory data were within normal ranges. Electrocardiography and chest radiography revealed no abnormalities. The patient underwent contrast material-enhanced (100 mL of iomeprol [400 mg iodine per milliliter], Iomeron; Bracco Imaging) CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis; dynamic contrast-enhanced (13 mL of gadobenate dimeglumine, Multihance; Bracco Imaging) MRI of the chest and abdomen; and transthoracic echocardiography and cavography for further evaluation.

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