Ultrasound elastometry of the brachial plexus after combined modality treatment of breast cancer

Abstract

Shear wave elastometry is important for improving the quality of treatment of patients with postmastectomy edema of the upper limb. Objective: to assess the density of brachial plexus tissues measured by shear wave sonoelastometry in breast cancer patients who received combined modality treatment. Material and Methods. We examined 30 breast cancer patients with postmastectomy edema of the upper limb, who underwent shear wave elastometry of the brachial plexus in the interscalene region. The side where radiation therapy (RT) was delivered was compared with the contralateral (healthy) side in one patient. Results. The median values of tissue stiffness measured by shear wave elastometry were 30.4 (26.2-35.8) and 16.2 (15-19) kPa on the affected and unaffected side, respectively (p<0.001). There was no statistically significant difference in tissue stiffness associated with the age of the patients, right/left side and body mass index. Conclusion. Shear wave elastometry is an alternative method for examining the brachial plexus in radiotherapy for breast cancer. On the RT side, the perineural tissues of the brachial plexus were denser than those on the healthy side. In clinical practice, elastometry can be used to monitor the dynamics of radiation damage and their consequences.