Automated Breast Ultrasonography (ABUS) in the Screening and Diagnostic Setting: Indications and Practical Use

Automated breast ultrasonography (ABUS) is a new imaging technology for automatic breast scanning through ultrasound. It was first developed to overcome the limitation of operator dependency and lack of standardization and reproducibility of handheld ultrasound. ABUS provides a three-dimensional representation of breast tissue and allows images reformatting in three planes, and the generated coronal plane has been suggested to improve diagnostic accuracy. This technique has been first used in the screening setting to improve breast cancer detection, especially in mammographically dense breasts. In recent years, numerous studies also evaluated its use in the diagnostic setting: they showed its suitability for breast cancer staging, evaluation of tumor response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and second-look ultrasound after magnetic resonance imaging. The purpose of this article is to provide a comprehensive review of the current body of literature about the clinical performance of ABUS, summarize available evidence, and identify gaps in knowledge for future research.