To explore the value of shear wave elastography (SWE) and kindlin-2 were used to determine the degree of breast nodule fibrosis.

A total of 102 breast nodules from 102 patients who underwent ultrasound elastography before surgery or core needle biopsy were included in this study. The obtained tissues were subjected to Sirius red staining and immunohistochemical staining. According to the pathological results, they was divided into two groups: benign (64 nodules from 64 patients: 43 cases of fibroadenoma, 11 cases of adenopathy, and 10 cases of intraductal papilloma) and malignant (38 nodules from 38 patients: all were invasive ductal carcinoma). The SWE parameters (Emax, Emean, and Emin) and collagen and Kindlin-2 expression levels were compared between the two groups by the t test. The diagnostic efficaly of Emax and Emean was analysised by the operating charaeterist cure. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to explore the correlation of collagen and Kindlin-2 expression levels with SWE parameters.

Emax, Emean, collagen expression, and Kindlin-2 expression were significantly higher in invasive ductal carcinoma than in benign nodules [(139.74±98.77) kPa vs (35.42±19.42) kPa, (65.91±60.71) kPa vs (18.29±13.83) kPa, 80.25±8.51 vs 30.77 ±5.32, 231.77±4596.01 vs 885.75±417.77; t=9.830, 7.196, 36.170, 14.300; P<0.05 for all]. The best cutoff values of Emax and Emean for malignant nodules were 55.86 kPa and 20.40 kPa, respectively; the sensitivities were 83.30% and 72.20%, and specificities were 88.90% and 77.80%, respectively. Both collagen expression (r=0.89, P<0.001) and Kindlin-2 expression (r=0.88, P<0.001) were correlated with Emax.

Emax and Kindlin-2 and collagen expression levels are related to the malignant degree of breast nodules. SWE combined with Kindlin-2 can determine the degree of breast nodule fibrosis and be used to diagnose invasive ductal carcinoma.