Lymphedema is one of the most common complications after breast cancer surgery. There are many diagnostic tools for lymphedema, but no standard method yet exists. Ultrasonography is widely used in many clinics because of its easy accessibility, safety, and inexpensiveness. Although ultrasonic measurements are operator-dependent, it has the advantages of being able to directly measure the thickness and stiffness of subcutaneous tissue and muscles. Progressive resistive exercise with complex decongestive physiotherapy did not cause additional swelling, and it reduced arm circumference by decreased subcutaneous tissue thickness and increased muscle thickness through ultrasonographic evaluation. We assessed the improvement in stiffness in patients with postmastectomy lymphedema (PMLE) after intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) using acoustic radiation force impulse imaging (ARFI), and evaluate the effects of different IPC pressures. Ultrasound will be one of the best tools for diagnosing and determining treatment efficacy on breast cancer-related lymphedema if you have skills and consistent standards.
Soo‐Kyung Bok (Sun,) studied this question.