Equipment for Breast Ultrasound

Abstract

The guiding principle in interventional breast ultrasound (US) is that the target lesion must be distinctly visualized on sonograms prior to any US-guided procedure. A good US scanner, an experienced operator, and a meticulous examination technique are prerequisites for high-quality pre- and intraprocedural US examinations of the breast. High-end US scanners are now bundled with a growing number of features, some of which not only are unnecessary for breast imaging and US-guided procedures but also may negatively impact image quality. The equipment needed for breast US is described, and a distinction is made between useful image-processing techniques and those that are useless or even detrimental.