Which technique in the diagnostic protocol is used to assess tissue stiffness?

Which technique in the diagnostic protocol is used to assess tissue stiffness?

• A. Elastography
• B. Fremitus
• C. Color Doppler
• D. X-ray

Answer: (A)

Tissue stiffness is a mechanical property that elastography is designed to measure. By applying a small amount of pressure or using specific acoustic techniques, elastography shows how much tissue deforms and creates a stiffness map or color-coded image. Malignant breast lesions tend to be stiffer than benign ones, so measuring stiffness helps in characterizing a lesion alongside conventional imaging. Other options serve different purposes: Fremitus relates to detecting vibrations, not tissue mechanics; Color Doppler assesses blood flow; X-ray visualizes anatomy and density but does not gauge stiffness. Hence elastography is the technique used to assess tissue stiffness.

Tissue stiffness is a mechanical property that elastography is designed to measure. By applying a small amount of pressure or using specific acoustic techniques, elastography shows how much tissue deforms and creates a stiffness map or color-coded image. Malignant breast lesions tend to be stiffer than benign ones, so measuring stiffness helps in characterizing a lesion alongside conventional imaging. Other options serve different purposes: Fremitus relates to detecting vibrations, not tissue mechanics; Color Doppler assesses blood flow; X-ray visualizes anatomy and density but does not gauge stiffness. Hence elastography is the technique used to assess tissue stiffness.