Is it possible to predict axillary lymph node metastasis in invasive breast cancers by measuring the strain ratio of the tumor?

To detect the relationship between the strain ratio of the invasive breast cancer and axillary lymph node metastasis using a non-invasive method.

Patient population: This prospective study, approved by the ethics committee, included 105 lesion in 102 female patients with an average age of 56 (27-87), diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. Three of the patients had bilateral invasive breast carcinoma. Patients referred to mammography units at our hospital between February 2021 and March 2024 for screening and diagnostic purposes are included, with the inclusion criteria being the detection of BI-RADS 4 and BI-RADS 5 lesions on sonographic examination. The diagnosis of invasive breast cancer was confirmed through biopsy procedures. 

Data acquisition: Regions of Interest (ROIs) were placed on the lesion and the corresponding reference tissue at the same depth to calculate the strain ratios for the tumors on ultrasound strain elastography. If the lesion sizes were large, several ROIs were placed within the lesion to reflect the average strain.