Radiology
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Figures Only
Right arrow Full Text
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Submit a response
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me when eLetters are posted
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Right arrow Citation Map
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Piccoli, C. W.
Right arrow Articles by Palazzo, J. P.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Piccoli, C. W.
Right arrow Articles by Palazzo, J. P.
(Radiology. 1999;211:111-117.)
© RSNA, 1999

Breast Imaging

Developing Asymmetric Breast Tissue1

Catherine W. Piccoli, MD, Stephen A. Feig, MD and Juan P. Palazzo, MD

1 From the Departments of Radiology (C.W.P., S.A.F.) and Pathology, Anatomy and Cell Biology (J.P.P.), Jefferson Medical College and Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 132 S 10th St, 7th Fl, Main Bldg, Philadelphia, PA 19107. From the 1997 RSNA scientific assembly. Received April 16, 1998; revision requested June 24; revision received August 5; accepted October 6. Address reprint requests to C.W.P.

PURPOSE: To show that benign asymmetric breast tissue detected mammographically may increase over time.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Serial mammograms obtained in 21 women with negative physical examination results and mammographically detected developing asymmetric breast tissue were reviewed, and findings were correlated with results of biopsy (n = 16), ultrasonography (US) (n = 8), and contrast material–enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) imaging (n = 3). Five patients who did not undergo biopsy were followed up for 13–84 months. Thirteen of 16 biopsy specimens were reviewed.

RESULTS: At the time of mammographic change, 12 patients without baseline asymmetric tissue had a mean age of 41.7 years and a mean size of asymmetric tissue of 2.4 cm. The mean age of nine patients with baseline asymmetric tissue was 46.9 years. In eight patients, the mean size increase was 2.5 cm. One patient showed increased tissue density but stable size. All US and MR images were negative. Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia was present in all 13 biopsy specimens reviewed and extensive in 12. No malignancies have been reported in five of the followed-up patients, and two have had continued enlargement of asymmetric tissue.

CONCLUSION: Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia is a common histopathologic finding in developing asymmetric breast tissue. Follow-up, rather than biopsy, is a management option if benign imaging and clinical criteria are met.

Index terms: Breast, biopsy, 00.1261, 00.1267 • Breast, diseases, 00.319, 00.721, 00.723 • Breast, MR, 00.121412, 00.121415, 00.12143 • Breast neoplasms, 00.319 • Breast, US, 00.1298




This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 Am. J. Roentgenol.Home page
J. W. T. Leung and E. A. Sickles
Developing Asymmetry Identified on Mammography: Correlation with Imaging Outcome and Pathologic Findings
Am. J. Roentgenol., March 1, 2007; 188(3): 667 - 675.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]