Does the menstrual cycle affect the multimodal ultrasound tomography?

Abstract

Background Multimodal ultrasound tomography (MUT) is a promising new three-dimensional imaging technology for breast cancer detection without ionizing radiation or need for tissue compression. It offers an automatic scan of the pendulant whole breast. Purpose As breast tissue properties are affected by the menstrual cycle (MC), we examined whether there is an objective difference in the refractivity and attenuation images obtained via MUT at different phases of the menstrual cycle. Material and Methods Thirteen asymptomatic volunteers (age range = 27–44 years) with a regular MC were scanned once weekly for four weeks. Attenuation and refractivity images of the breast coronal slices obtained via MUT are calibrated against precisely controlled water-through values of the ultrasound waves. The average of attenuation and refractivity values measured in the MUT images were calculated for each volunteer every week. Results During the MC, the weekly averages of the refractivity images for all volunteers were −0.650% (week 1), −0.585% (week 2), −0.692% (week 3), and −0.628% (week 4), and the corresponding attenuation weekly averages were 1.712 dB/cm, 1.635 dB/cm, 1.673 dB/cm, and 1.653 dB/cm. There were no statistically significant changes during MC. Conclusion Although there are biological changes in breast tissue properties during the MC, we did not observe statistically significant changes in the average values of MUT refractivity and attenuation images in each breast for different weeks of the MC. This finding implies that the diagnostic accuracy of the MUT may not be affected by the timing of the scan during the MC.

Analysis of background echotexture on automated breast ultrasound using BI‐RADS and modified classification: Association with clinical features and mammographic density

“…Second, although breast echotexture may be affected by the phases of the menstrual cycle for premenopausal women, ABUS was performed irrespective of their menstrual cycle. 22 However, there are no proven guidelines that ultrasonography or mammography should be done in a specific phase of the menstrual cycle, and empirically no significant change has been seen on mammography or ultrasonography for different phases of the menstrual cycle. Therefore, we believe that the menstrual cycle does not adversely affect breast images.…”

“…First, this retrospective study included a small number of patients from a single institution, which was subject to inevitable selection bias. Second, although breast echotexture may be affected by the phases of the menstrual cycle for premenopausal women, ABUS was performed irrespective of their menstrual cycle 22 . However, there are no proven guidelines that ultrasonography or mammography should be done in a specific phase of the menstrual cycle, and empirically no significant change has been seen on mammography or ultrasonography for different phases of the menstrual cycle.…”

Ultrasound Derived Measurements Ability to Predict Max Aerobic Performance

“…Twenty Participants: Sixteen males and four females (Mean ± SD: age: 23 ± 8.3, height 181 ± 9.1 cm, mass 76 ± 12.5 kg,) volunteered for this study. Four females were included in the study and research by Forte et al (Forte et al 2019) determined that the menstrual cycle does not affect ultrasound EI. Participants were self-reported training 5.6 ± 1.7 hours per week and were familiar with training on a bike.…”