Table 6. Correlation analysis between conventional ultrasonic characteristics and pathological grading.
| Features | Pathological grading after NAC (n=22) | Contingency coefficient | P | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||
| Type of lesions | 0.277 | 0.829 | |||||
| Mass type | 1 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 4 | ||
| Non-mass type | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | ||
| Shape | 0.336 | 0.636 | |||||
| Regular | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Irregular | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Echo texture | 0.336 | 0.636 | |||||
| Homogeneous | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Heterogeneous | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 4 | ||
| Calcification | 0.534 | 0.348 | |||||
| Microcalcification | 1 | 2 | 6 | 2 | 0 | ||
| Micro-and-macro calcification | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| No-calcification | 0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | ||
| Cystic change | 0.521 | 0.156 | |||||
| Yes | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||
| No | 0 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Peripheral hyperechoic halo | 0.373 | 0.569 | |||||
| Yes | 0 | 5 | 6 | 2 | 2 | ||
| No | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | ||
| Aspect ratio | 0.338 | 0.654 | |||||
| >1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| ≤1 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 | ||
| Posterior echo | 0.492 | 0.628 | |||||
| Enhancement | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | ||
| Attenuation | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | ||
| No change | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| Invasion of skin | 0.335 | 0.706 | |||||
| Yes | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 0 | ||
| No | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 4 | ||
| Invasion of muscle | 0.406 | 0.440 | |||||
| Yes | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 0 | ||
| No | 1 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | ||
| Invasion of nipples | 0.228 | 0.932 | |||||
| Yes | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | ||
| No | 1 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | ||
| Blood flow classification | 0.338 | 0.654 | |||||
| 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 3 | 1 | 5 | 8 | 3 | 3 | ||
| RI | 0.82 | 0.67±0.14 | 0.77±0.06 | 0.68±0.05 | 0.72±0.07 | −0.206 | 0.359 |
| The largest cross section (cm) | |||||||
| TD | 3.67 | 3.31±1.32 | 4.15±1.93 | 3.96±1.75 | 2.51±1.40 | −0.149 | 0.520 |
| APD | 2.30 | 2.20±0.82 | 2.44±0.89 | 1.62±0.43 | 1.66±0.67 | −0.339 | 0.123 |
| ULD | 3.58 | 2.95±0.95 | 3.25±1.81 | 3.52±0.95 | 1.89±1.06 | −0.242 | 0.277 |
| Maximum area (cm2) | 7.72 | 4.13±1.91 | 6.14±3.18 | 5.19±3.60 | 3.21±2.70 | −0.199 | 0.375 |
| Maximum circumference (cm) | 12.6 | 9.67±2.74 | 11.33±4.93 | 10.56±4.69 | 7.79±4.38 | −0.163 | 0.468 |
NAC, neoadjuvant chemotherapy; RI, resistance index; TD, transverse diameter (cm); APD, anteroposterior diameter (cm); ULD, upper and lower diameter (cm).