Role of ABUS as an Alternative to Breast MRI in Assessing Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Role of ABUS as an Alternative to Breast MRI in Assessing Response to Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy
Some women who have been diagnosed with a breast cancer will require chemotherapy as part of
 their treatment. The chemotherapy can be given before breast surgery - neoadjuvant
 chemotherapy or after breast surgery - adjuvant chemotherapy. Whether chemotherapy is given
 before or after does not affect the clinical outcomes for the woman - ie there is no
 disadvantage to the woman. Due to the fact that giving chemotherapy before has no
 disadvantages, many of the oncologists like to give the chemotherapy before because they can
 see if the breast cancer is responding. They are able to do this by using imaging. The best
 imaging test is breast MRI. Ultrasound can be used but studies have shown that it is not as
 good. However, whole breast ultrasound (ABUS) provides 3 dimensional information similar to
 breast MRI and the purpose of our study is to see if ABUS performs similar to breast MRI in
 being able to see if a tumour is responding to the chemotherapy. The breast MRI requires
 women to lie facing down and takes about 20mins. It involves an injection of contrast called
 gadolinium via a cannula. ABUS involves scanning the whole breast with the patient lying on
 their back and takes 10mins. There is no injection of contrast. MRI is an expensive test and
 often there is limited access to the scanner and so patients may have to wait for an
 appointment. ABUS because it is an automated process for obtaining the images can be
 performed in the breast unit in a timely manner without the issue of competing demands. All
 women who agree to take part in the study will have both the breast MRI - standard or care
 and the ABUS.
Inclusion Criteria:

 1. All female participants eligible for neoadjuvant chemotherapy and planning surgical
 treatment

 2. Able to give informed consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 1. All female particpants having neoadjuvant chemotherapy as palliative treatment with no
 surgery planned

 2. Unable to provide informed consent

 3. Unable to have breast MRI scan due to clautrophobia or allergy to gadolineum