Ultrasound visualization of the breast in symptomatic patients.

More than 400 breast patients (primarily symptomatic) have been examined with ultrasound alone and in combination with low-dose mammography. Symptomatic pregnant women and young patients with palpable masses were examined with ultrasound alone. In young, dense breasts, ultrasound was found to surpass mammography in the differential diagnosis of both cystic and solid masses. In older patients, the tumor characteristics displayed on ultrasound augmented those of mammography, resulting in increased diagnostic accuracy.