3-dimensional ultrasound to determine resection margins in breast cancer

Objectives: Resection margins involved by breast cancer cells are the mayor risk factor for local recurrence. Therefore, determination of resection status is a major topic in breast surgery. We hypothesised that 3D-ultrasound is able to determine margins as good as macroscopic pathological examination and frozen section in selected cases. Methods: Surgery specimens from patients with ductal invasive breast cancer were examined by in vitro 3D-ultrasound after dissection and before pathological examination. Macroscopic pathological examination was performed afterwards, without knowledge of the results from the ult…