Table 4. Association between sonographic findings according to the BI-RADS lexicon and prognostic factors.
| Sonographic findings and prognostic factor | Number (%) | Odds ratio | 95% CI | p-value |
| Histological grade (n = 699) | ||||
| Echogenicity | 0.004† | |||
| Iso-to-hyperechoic | 14/91 (15) | Reference | NA | |
| Hypoechoic | 116/347 (33) | 3.16 | 1.63, 6.11 | 0.001† |
| Complex cystic | 14/35 (40) | 1.51 | 0.59, 3.89 | 0.391 |
| Mixed hyper-hypoechogenicity | 72/226 (32) | 2.58 | 1.31, 5.06 | 0.006† |
| Posterior feature | <0.001† | |||
| Posterior shadowing | 21/106 (20) | Reference | NA | |
| Posterior enhancement | 111/215 (52) | 3.64 | 1.99, 6.63 | <0.001† |
| None | 84/378 (22) | 1.04 | 0.60, 1.83 | 0.879 |
| Associated calcification | 0.035† | |||
| None | 156/530 (29) | Reference | NA | |
| Calcifications in-or-out of a mass | 60/169 (36) | 1.54 | 1.03, 2.30 | 0.035† |
| Vascularity | 0.010† | |||
| None | 81/308 (26) | Reference | NA | |
| Focal or penetrating | 113/357 (32) | 1.12 | 0.78, 1.61 | 0.552 |
| Diffusely increased | 21/34 (62) | 3.37 | 1.53, 7.45 | 0.003† |
| Extensive intraductal component (n = 707) | ||||
| Posterior feature | <0.001† | |||
| Posterior shadowing | 27/107 (25) | Reference | NA | |
| Posterior enhancement | 33/220 (15) | 0.44 | 0.22, 0.86 | 0.016† |
| None | 137/380 (36) | 1.38 | 0.80, 2.38 | 0.242 |
| Associated calcification | <0.001† | |||
| None | 108/537 (20) | Reference | NA | |
| Calcifications in-or-out of a mass | 90/170 (53) | 3.72 | 2.50, 5.53 | <0.001† |
| Negative oestrogen receptor status (n = 707) | ||||
| Echogenicity | 0.006† | |||
| Iso-to-hyperechoic | 23/92 (25) | Reference | NA | |
| Hypoechoic | 111/350 (32) | 1.37 | 0.77, 2.44 | 0.286 |
| Complex cystic | 14/35 (40) | 0.70 | 0.29, 1.73 | 0.443 |
| Mixed hyper-hypoechogenicity | 99/230 (43) | 2.13 | 1.19, 3.84 | 0.012† |
| Posterior feature | <0.001† | |||
| Posterior shadowing | 24/107 (22) | Reference | NA | |
| Posterior enhancement | 123/220 (56) | 3.85 | 2.14, 6.93 | <0.001† |
| None | 100/380 (26) | 1.01 | 0.59, 1.72 | 0.985 |
| Associated calcification | 0.002† | |||
| None | 173/537 (32) | Reference | NA | |
| Calcifications in-or-out of a mass | 74/170 (44) | 1.86 | 1.26, 2.74 | 0.002† |
| Vascularity | <0.001† | |||
| None | 89/313 (28) | Reference | NA | |
| Focal or penetrating | 131/360 (36) | 1.30 | 0.91, 1.84 | 0.147 |
| Diffusely increased | 26/34 (76) | 6.07 | 2.54, 14.53 | <0.001† |
| Positive HER-2/neu status (n = 707) | ||||
| Associated calcification | <0.001† | |||
| None | 95/537 (18) | Reference | NA | |
| Calcifications in-or-out of a mass | 68/170 (40) | 2.97 | 2.02, 4.35 | <0.001† |
NA, Not applicable
†Statistically significant parameters