Objective To measure the shear wave velocity and its ratio by virtual touch tissue imaging quantification（VTIQ）

and to explore the value for differentiating benign and malignant breast nodules.Methods Forty-six patients（46 nodules）confirmed by surgery and pathology were retrospectively analyzed

18 nodules were malignant and 28 nodules werebenign.The SWV of benign and malignant nodules and the surrounding tissues were measured.The mean SWV of the nodules andthe mean SWV between the nodules and the surrounding breast gland tissues were calculated. The receiver operatingcharacteristic（ROC）curve was drawn

and the area under the curve was calculated to assess the value of VTIQ in differentiatingbenign and malignant nodules.Results The SWV of benign and malignant nodules were（4.05±0.89）m/s and（6.49±1.88）m/s

respectively

and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.05）.The ratio of SWV between benign and malignant lesionsand surrounding breast gland tissue were 1.26±0.38 and 2.21±0.86

respectively

and the difference was statistically significant（P<0.05）. Taken the SWV of breast nodules was 4.52 m/s

the sensitivity

specificity

accuracy and AUC in the differentialdiagnosis of malignant nodules were 88.89%

82.14%

84.80% and 0.875

respectively.Taken the ratio of SWV between nodulesand surrounding breast gland tissue was 1.25

the sensitivity

specificity

accuracy and AUC in the differential diagnosis ofmalignant nodules were 94.44%

78.57%

84.80% and 0.902

respectively.Conclusion The SWV of breast nodules and theratio of SWV between nodules and surrounding breast gland tissues have a certain value in the differential diagnosis of benignand malignant nodules

but the sensitivity of SWV ratio is higher

which can provide reference for clinical diagnosis.