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Interstitial fluid and hypoechoic wall: Two sonographic signs of breast abscess
Author(s) -
Nguyen Sarah L.,
Doyle Anthony J.,
Symmans Pennie J.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
journal of clinical ultrasound
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.272
H-Index - 61
eISSN - 1097-0096
pISSN - 0091-2751
DOI - 10.1002/1097-0096(200009)28:7<319::aid-jcu1>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - medicine , abscess , radiology , breast cancer , breast carcinoma , cancer , surgery
Purpose Many mammographic and sonographic features of breast abscess overlap with those of carcinoma. We reviewed the usefulness of interstitial fluid and hypoechoic walls in the sonographic diagnosis of breast abscess. Methods The sonograms and records of 65 patients with breast infection and 60 contemporaneous patients with breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed. Results Of 49 abscesses identified in patients with breast infection, 14 (29%) had adjacent interstitial fluid that was sonographically visible, and 15 (31%) had a hypoechoic wall. No patients with breast cancer had either sign. The overall sensitivity of the presence of either sign was 55%, and the specificity was 100%. Conclusions Two sonographic findings, interstitial fluid and a hypoechoic wall, are relatively specific for breast abscess and may aid in the diagnosis of breast disease. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 28:319–324, 2000.