Core Biopsy of Nodular Adenosis of the Breast Can Lead to Underdiagnosis

Are Irregular Hypoechoic Breast Masses on Ultrasound Always Malignancies?: A Pictorial Essay

Irregular hypoechoic masses in the breast do not always indicate malignancies. Many benign breast diseases present with irregular hypoechoic masses that can mimic carcinoma on ultrasonography. Some of these diseases such as inflammation and trauma-related breast lesions could be suspected from a patient's symptoms and personal history. Careful ultrasonographic examination and biopsy could help to differentiate these from malignancies.

Mimickers of breast malignancy on breast sonography

The aim of this article is to review benign breast lesions that can mimic carcinoma on sonography. Cases of benign lesions mimicking carcinoma on sonography were collected among lesions that were initially assessed as suspicious on sonography according to the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System category. Sonographically guided core needle biopsy was performed, and the pathologic types were confirmed to be benign. Cases of benign lesions mimicking carcinoma on sonography were shown to include fat necrosis, diabetic mastopathy, fibrocystic changes, sclerosing adenosis, ruptured inflammatory cysts, inflammatory abscesses, granulomatous mastitis, fibroadenomas, fibroadenomatous mastopathy, and apocrine metaplasia. Benign breast lesions may present with malignant features on imaging. A clear understanding of the range of appearances of benign breast lesions that mimic malignancy is important in radiologic-pathologic correlation to ensure that benign results are accepted when concordant with imaging and clinical features but, when discordant, there is no delay in further evaluation up to and including excisional biopsy.