Examples of the great mimickers of breast carcinoma and their sonographic appearances

Author(s) West S.
Source Breast Cancer Research; 2021; vol. 23
Breast carcinomas can take on a multitude of appearances that display the features of a true carcinoma. These being: shape, orientation, echo pattern and posterior features. However, some benign entities can mimic these appearances on ultrasound. This pictorial review demonstrates some of the great mimickers that display the worrying features. Diabetic Mastopthy-Disease with fibro inflammatory processes of the breast. Features can include hard, irregular hypoechoic mass with posterior shadowing. Fat Necrosis-Known as a benign non-supparitive inflammatory process. This process occurs due to breast trauma. Some of the common causes are: radiotherapy, surgery or trauma. Sonographically, the appearance may display an irregular complex mass, edge shadowing or a hyper-echoic irregular mass. Tuberculosis-The most frequent mode of infection is spread from the axillary nodes. Appearances can present as nodular, diffuse and sclerosing. The nodular type of Tuberculosis can manifest as an ill defined hypoechoic mass. The diffuse type can simulate inflammatory carcinoma, and the sclerosing type can be associated with areas of architectural distortion. Granular Cell tumour-A benign neoplasm derived from perineural scwann cell of peripheral nerves. On ultrasound, the appearances can present as an irregular or ill defined mass with posterior acoustic shadowing. Fibromatosis-This is a benign tumour that can occur in the breast. The definitive eitology is unclear but can be associated with Gardeners' syndrome. On Ultrasound, this can present as an irregular hypoechoic mass with a thick echogenic rim and posterior shadowing.

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