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Mucinous carcinomas of the breast: Imaging features and potential for misdiagnosis
Author(s) -
Tan Judith ZhiYie,
Waugh John,
Kumar Beena,
Evans Jill
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of medical imaging and radiation oncology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.31
H-Index - 43
eISSN - 1754-9485
pISSN - 1754-9477
DOI - 10.1111/1754-9485.12006
Subject(s) - medicine , malignancy , radiology , mammography , acoustic shadow , ultrasound , homogeneous , carcinoma , pathology , breast cancer , cancer , physics , thermodynamics
Pure mucinous breast carcinomas ( PMBC ) are commonly lobulated, therefore appear relatively benign compared with the imaging features of invasive ductal carcinoma. The aim of this study was to determine mammographic and sonographic patterns of PMBC , in particular features that may result in misdiagnosis. Methods Retrospective review of available mammography and sonography in 90 patients diagnosed with PMBC within the M onash B reast S creen service, 1993–2011 inclusive. Results PMBC commonly have indistinct or lobulated mammographic and sonographic margins. Mammographic calcifications are absent in the majority (82%). On ultrasound, these neoplasms are commonly isoechoic (51%) with normal posterior acoustic appearances (80%). However, most (77%) of these lesions have suspicious or definite imaging features of malignancy. Conclusion PMBC are commonly lobulated with homogeneous, isoechoic and normal posterior acoustic sonographic appearances but rarely have benign imaging features.