Benign and Malignant Diseases of the Breast Flashcards
What is a galactocele and what is this lesion generally associated with?
A milk filled cyst with a high fat content. It is associated with lactation.
Peau d’ orange describes what type of breast?
Breast where the skin is thicker than normal-described as skin thickening syndrome.
Describe why a mass density is seen more clearly on fatty rather than dense breast tissue.
Fatty tissue is seen as dark areas on the radiograph, while dense breast tissue, which represents fibroglandular areas, is seen as white. Lesions are also seen as white, which makes them difficult to discern in dense breast tissue.
The term reduction mammoplasty refers to what?
A technique used to reduce the overall size of the breast for cosmetic or medical reasons.
The halo is significant in the analysis of a mass on the mammogram. Describe it’s significance.
The halo is a complete or partial radiolucent ring seen predominately around circular or oval lesions. Typically, circular or oval lesions are benign however the content of any lesion must be assessed.
Ultrasound and MRI are especially important in diagnosing what types of implant problems
Implant rupture or leaks
Describe and give an example of a radiolucent lesion.
If the lesion is radiolucent, the breast parenchyma is visible through the lesion. An example is a cyst.
Give three mammography characteristics of a benign circular lesion.
Radiolucent, and radiopaque, low-density, halo sign, capsule, spherical or oval, smooth borders.
Give three ultrasound characteristics of a benign oval lesion.
Hyperechogenic, ellipsoid shape, the capsule, compressibility, acoustic shodowing.
Spicules from a lesion in the breast can cause what changes if it reaches the breast skin?
Dimpling or skin thickening syndrome.
What is the significance of asymmetric breast tissue?
Could indicate a malignancy, especially if seen in the posterior aspect of post menopausal women. The breast structure should be a mirror image of both sides.
Give two mammographic and sonographic characteristics of malignant speculated lesions.
a. Mammography characteristics: Distinct central mass, sharp dense line radiating in all directions from the central mass, dimpling or skin thickening if the spicules reach the skin, can be associated with malignant type calcifications.
b. Ultrasound characteristics: Speculated outline, taller than wide, shadowing, ductal extension pattern, microlobulations
Describe four characteristics of benign calcification.
Smooth borders, high uniform density, evenly scattered, sharply outlined, spherical or oval, teacup density on the ML, ring-like, eggshell-like, large bizarre size
What are the six important factors used to analyze breast calicifications?
Calcifications can be analyzed for density, distribution, change over time, number, morphology and size.
What are the two main classifications o f breast cancer?
Ductal and lobular carcinoma
Reduction mammoplasty often involves:
Reduction mammoplasty reduces the overall size of the breast. In general, all breast reduction will involve the relocation of the nipple.
A patient with beau d’orange type breast will present:
Peau d’orange describes a thickening of the skin of the entire breast. Skin thickening can be caused by benign conditions or malignant disease.
Benign breast calcifications include all of the following except;
Casting type calcifications are produced when ductal carcinoma in situ fills the ducts. The Calcifications are the result of cell necrosis at the center of the growth.
Milk of calcium forms in the lobules as a result of calcified debris. Plasma cell mastitis is the result of increased cellular activity and vascular calcifications are calcified arteries or veins.
Which of the following describes the characteristics of benign circular or oval lesions?
Radiolucent, halo sign, low density
Asymmetric breast tissue-seen as an area on one mammogram that is not reproduced on the other-referred to as:
Architectural distortion represents areas of increased density on one breast that is not mirrored on the other side. The cause can be benign or malignant. Stellate lesion or speculated lesions often represents malignancy.
The halo sign is often used to identify:
The halo often will surround oval or circular lesions. These lesions are often benign. However, a circular or oval lesion can hold a cancer within the lesion itself. In any evaluation, the content of the circular or oval lesion must be checked.
Oil cyst are:
Oil cysts are benign eggshell-like calcifications.
The two most common types of breast cancer are:
Ductal and lobular carcinoma are the two most common types of breast cancer. Metastasis refers to the spread of cancer beyond the breast.
which of the following lesions are likely to be malignant?
Benign lesions are often circular, oval with few lobulations. Cancerous lesions are often speculated, multiple lobulated, and high density.
