Evaluating
The Usefulness of The Triple-Test Score (TTS) in The Diagnosis of Breast
Masses
Sami Mufeed Said (M.D.), George Abd
Elfadi (M.D.) and Tarek Ahmed Said (M.D.)
Department
of Surgery, Faculty of Medicine , Cairo University
Kasr El-Aini Journal of
Surgery, Vol (5), No (1), January 2004: 3-6
It is always a challenge to the physician
to diagnose clinically the nature of a breast mass, especially with the
increasing desire among patients to avoid surgery for a sure diagnosis.
The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability of a scoring system
involving all three commonly used diagnostic modalities: namely clinical
examination, soft tissue mammography and fine needle aspiration biopsy
cytology. The score reached by the triple test score (TTS) was compared
to the definite diagnosis reached after excision of all masses and histopathological
examination. Twenty five women with breast masses were studied. The results
proved that the TTS was reliable and in line with the histopathology in
all cases, except the score of 5. A mass scoring 5 by TTS will, according
to this study require excision to reach a final diagnosis. Masses scoring
3 and 4 can be observed as benign, while masses scoring 6,7,8 & 9 should
proceed to definitive treatment as malignant. To conclude, the TTS is reliable
and very helpful to the surgeon and the patient in all its scores with
the exception of the score 5, which needs an excisional biopsy
Key words: Breast Mass - Clinical
- Mammography, Fine-needle, TTS
