BACKGROUND In clinical practice, breast lump is a very common presentation of numerous breast diseases which ranges from benign cysts to malignant lesions. The difference between benign and malignant is very important for patient care and proper management. The diagnosis of breast lump includes clinical examination supplemented by imaging. Various literature has concluded that ultrasound evaluation with fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) correlation has comparable sensitivity and

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... to histopathology. Our aim was to study the ultrasonographic characteristics of breast lesions in patients and compare the sensitivity of ultrasonography in diagnosing benign and malignant breast lesions with FNAC. METHODS This is a diagnostic validation study, conducted at Department of Radiodiagnosis and Department of Pathology, Narayan Medical College and Hospital. All females more than 30 years coming for routine breast screening, found to have Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) 2 and above were subjected to ultrasonography and FNAC under ultrasonography (USG) guidance, and compared with histopathology. Data was collected, entered and analysed using Microsoft Excel, Epi Info, and SPSS software. Sensitivity and specificity with correlation, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) was calculated to compare the two diagnostic modalities. RESULTS USG had 83.3 % sensitivity, 97.56 % specificity, 95.24 % positive predictive value, 90.91 % negative predictive value, 33.32 % positive likelihood ratio and 17.13 % negative likelihood ratio. FNAC had 96.67 % sensitivity, 97.56 % specificity, 96.67 % positive predictive value, 97.56 % negative predictive value, 38.66 % positive likelihood ratio and 3.42 % negative likelihood ratio. CONCLUSIONS Breast ultrasound and FNAC both are important diagnostic tools for breast lesion. Sensitivity, specificity and other features are better for FNAC than ultrasound for breast lump. KEYWORDS Breast Lump, FNAC, USG, Adenocarcinoma, Squamous Cell Carcinoma