Diagnostic Medical Sonography News April 2019 | Page 4

Lumps and Bumps
of Ultrasound
A patient finding a lump on their body can be extremely terrifying. They spend an
immense amount of time considering what would happen to them if it were cancer
or some life-altering growth that they would have to live with forever. The chances
of the lesion being malignant are slim, but should be thoroughly examined just in
case. This is where the diagnostic ultrasound comes in. An ultrasound is an effective
tool in the diagnosis of superficial lumps and bumps, and there are many that can be
seen via ultrasound. An ultrasound can be used to obtain diagnostic-quality images of
anything including malignant masses, cysts, lipomas (benign fatty tumors), abscesses,
thromboses and much more. It is always the best practice to correctly diagnose the
growth in order to plan the proper steps to prevent future problems.
According to a study done by Jason Wagner M.D., Kenneth Lee M.D., Humberto Rosas
M.D. and Mark Kliewer M.D., the chance of a patient’s lump being a soft-tissue tumor
is 3 per 1,000, with a 99% chance of that tumor being benign. The most common
soft-tissue tumor is a benign fatty tumor called a lipoma. Typically, a lipoma is a soft,
movable and painless bump that is usually no more than 5cm and is common in
people 40-50 years old. On ultrasound, any mass will have a distinct echo pattern to
it. When a lump is described as hypoechoic, it means the lesion looks darker than the
surrounding tissue on the scan image. A mass described as hyperechoic will appear
brighter than surrounding tissue. If the nodule is malignant, it will most likely have
irregular boundaries and heterogeneous echo patterns, along with other features,
such as the presence of micro calcifications. An ultrasound can be used to detect the
“lump or bump,” but a needle biopsy will be required to provide a definitive diagnosis.
Another common lump that an ultrasound can be used to identify is a cyst, which is a
small sac filled with fluid. Any lesion that is fluid-filled will appear completely black on
an ultrasound image. Typically, these types of lesions are hypoechoic or anechoic and
have regular consistent borders. Not all cysts are benign, so any lump will need to be
examined by a doctor to determine the severity of the case. If the cyst is suspected of
being cancerous, a cystectomy will have to be performed.
The above examples of lumps and bumps of ultrasound are only a portion of what
a sonographer might find. Ultrasounds have proven to be an effective tool for
diagnosing many different patient ailments. If a lump or bump is concerning to a
patient, it is best to act quickly. Obtaining an accurate diagnosis can bring peace of
mind and is one step closer to getting proper treatment.
Kalie Williams
Program Intern
Sources:
Diagnostic
Medical
Sonography
Steven Halls. “Ultrasound of Hypoechoic Mass or a Solid Breast Lump with Moose and Doc.” Breast Cancer -
Moose and Doc, 17 Feb. 2019, breast-cancer.ca/ultrahypo-echosolid/.
Wagner, Jason M., et al. “Accuracy of Sonographic Diagnosis of Superficial Masses.” The Canadian Journal of
Chemical Engineering, Wiley-Blackwell, 1 Aug. 2013, onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.7863/ultra.32.8.1443.
Lorelei Waring. “Lumps and Bumps Ultrasound Evaluation.” BMUS, www.bmus.org/media/resources/files/11._
Lol_-__Lumps_and_Bumps.pdf