Breast Flashcards
Mammography characteristics of radial scar
Spiculated lesion with long curved spicules
Central lucency
Variable appearance on different projections
May have calcifications
No skin thickening or retraction
True or false: US and MRI are useful in evaluation of radial scar
False. Indistinguishable from cancer
What is abnormal size for axillary lymph node?
Cortex >3mm. Total size does not matter.
What is a solitary papilloma of the breast
Benign intraductal lesion
Ddx intraductal papilloma
Intracystic papillary carcinoma Atypical ductal hyperplasia Ductal carcinoma in situ Duct ectasis with debris Nipple adenoma
What is phyllodes tumor
Locally agressive stromal tumor with papillary growths. Can range from benign to malignant.
Rapidly growing circumscribed mass - looks like a fibroadenoma
Rate of recurrence of phyllodes tumor post excision
21% in 2 years
Ddx phyllodes tumor (3)
Fibroadenoma
Sarcoma
Invasive cancer
Mammography appearance of tubular carcinoma
Small spiculated mass with dense center or architectural distortion.
Calcifications in up to 50% of cases. Can be stable for years.
Cannot be distinguished from radial scar or other type of cancer on imaging
Breast fat necrosis appearance on mammography and US and MR
Circumscribed lucent mass with peripheral calcifications
Can be spiculated and dense, similar to cancer
US
Acute - increased echo
Subacute - complex cystic areas in mass
Chronic - hypoechoic
MR
High t1
Low t2 fat sat /w surrounding edema
Rim enhancement
Hamartoma definition and mammo appearance
Focal developmental pseudotumor composed of normal breast tissue
Well circumscribed mass containing fat with a thin rim on mammography
Ddx breast hamartoma
Fibroadenoma
Galactocele
Fat necrosis
Lipoma
Go look up other ddx
What is PASH
Pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia (PASH) is a benign, relatively uncommon form of stromal (mesenchymal) overgrowth within breast tissue that derives from a possible hormonal aetiology.
What is the characteristic appearance of a radial fold? (breast implant)
they are blind ending within the implant, which allows differentiation from a capsule rupture.
They are also thicker than the curvilinear lines of a capsule rupture because they represent 2 lines adjacent to one another
In breast MR, define type 1, 2 and 3 enhancement kinetics
type 1: persistent kinetics, degree of enhancement continues with delayed phase. most often benign.
type 2: plateau kinetics, degree of enhancement plateaus on delayed phase. indeterminate.
type 3: wash-out kinetics, degree of enhancement decreases in delayed phase. most often malignant.
enhancement kinetics cannot exclude benign vs malignant!
What is the most common benign breast mass in lactating women (describe its appearance)
galactocele
cystic mass forms due to duct dilatation and contains fluid that resembles milk. variable imaging findings depends on content.
what is the most common benign solid breast mass in young women (describe its appearance)
fibroadenoma
classically: circumscribed or gently lobulated, mildly hypoechoic, thinly encapsulated, elliptically shaped mass oriented parallel to the chest wall.
popcorn calcifications in the breast are pathognomonic for which entity?
Degenerating/involuting fibroadenoma (benign)
on mammography, linear distribution and linear, branching morphology are suggestive of a benign or malignant process?
highly suggestive of malignancy
what is typical mammo/US appearance of a breast hamartoma
mammo: circumscribed margins with combination of fatty/soft tissue densities surrounding by thin radiopaque capsule or pseudocapsule. “breast within a breast” appearance.
US: circumscribed oval mass with heterogeneous internal echoes
mammographic appearance of radial scar?
spiculated appearance similar to carcinoma but with a translucent low density center (“dark star” appearance)
microcalcifications rare
requires histological diagnosis to exclude carcinoma
What is the difference between radial scar and complex sclerosing lesion?
They are differentiated by size. Radial scar 1cm
Do you need to see the pectoralis on a CC view mammography?
No. Only for MLO
What calcification morphology descriptors are suspicious for neoplasm according to BI-RADS?
Amorphous
Coarse heterogeneous
Fine pleomorphic
Fine linear/fine linear branching
Describing a finding with the descriptor “complex” implies what minimum BI-RADS score?
BI-RADS 4
Using the term complex implies that a biopsy should be performed
VP
What are the ACR indications for breast MRI
High risk screening New diagnosis of breast cancer Breast implants Assessing extent of disease Recurrence Positive margins post lumpectomy
Refer to ACR guidelines for all indications and details
Most common intraductal breast mass?
Papilloma
What is the best time in the menstrual cycle to perform a breast MRI?
day 8-14: follicular phase of differenciation. Contrast uptake in normal tissue is at its lowest at this time.
TRUE OR FALSE
On breast MRI, enhancement kinetics are more important in the evaluation of a mass than its morphology.
FALSE
Suspicious morphology is more important than kinetics. More specifically, its margins.
As far as enhancement is concerned, early enhancement is most important.
What are the categories of findings that need to be present in a breast MRI report?
1- Amount of Fibroglandular Tissue 2- Background Parenchyma Enhancement 3- Focus 4- Masses 5- Non-mass Enhancement 6- Other (lymph node, skin, associated findings) 7- Location of Lesion 8- Kinetic Curve (initial and delayed)
According to ACR lexicon, on breast MRI, what is the definition of a focus?
Unique punctate enhancing dot <5mm
On breast MRI, what are the features of malignancy of a focus?
Unique/dominant
no fatty hilum
washout kinetics
change from prior
According to ACR lexicon, on breast MRI, what is the definition of a mass?
3D space occupying structure with convex-outward contour.
You should describe size shape: oval, round, irregular contour: circumscribed, irregular, spiculated internal enhancement characteristics
According to ACR lexicon, on breast MRI, describe the internal mass enhancement characteristics lexicon
homogeneous, heterogeneous, rim enhancement, dark internal septations
What is the typical T2 signal of a fibroadenoma on breast MRI?
Fibroadenoma
Can be hypointense on T2 or have dark internal septations if it is sclerotic or contains bands of dense connective tissue
Non-enhancing
On breast MRI, what lesions can be T2 hyperintense?
fibroadenoma cyst lymph node fat necrosis mucinous carcinoma intraduct carcinoma with necrosis
According to ACR lexicon, on breast MRI, what is the definition of an area of non-mass enhancement?
It is neither a focus nor a mass. The internal enhancement is a pattern discrete from the normal background parenchyma.
It is described by distribution and internal enhancement pattern.
On breast MRI, what malignant neoplasms present as non-mass enhancement?
DCIS (65%)
lobular carcinoma
On breast MRI, what benign pathologies present as non-mass enhancement?
Fibrocystic changes
Stromal fibrosis
Papilloma
Sclerosing adenosis
Most common benign breast lesion in men?
lipoma
TRUE OR FALSE
Fibroadenomas are amongst the most common benign breast lesions in men
FALSE. Men do not have TDLUs, therefore fibroadenomas are extremely rare (case reports).
TRUE OR FALSE
A non subareolar abnormality cannot be gynecomastia
true
What is the most common location of breast cancer in men?
65-95% present as a painless SUBAREOLAR mass
What is the lifetime risk of breast cancer is a non high-risk woman in north america?
10-11%
What is the most common breast mass in adolescent girls?
fibroadenoma
What is Mondor disease?
Mondor disease is a rare benign breast condition characterized by thrombophlebitis of the superficial/subcutaneous veins of the chest wall.
What is the DDx of pleomorphic calcifications on mammography?
Fibrocystic changes papilloma fibroadenoma DCIS - intermediate to high grade ADH
What is the DDx of amorphous calcifications on mammography?
Fibrocystic changes
sclerosing adenosis
DCIS - low grade
ADH
lower PPV of malignancy than pleomorphic calcification
What distribution of calcifications on mammography is worrisome for malignancy?
Linear
Groups/clustered
Segmental - most worrisome
What is the Ddx of spiculated mass on mammography?
IDC - tubular - low grade fat necrosis scars (decrease over time) radial scar
What is the Ddx of a lesion with indistinct margins on mammography?
IDC - any grade many benign histologies abscess hematoma
What is the ddx of a lesion with architectural distortion on mammography?
intraductal/intralobular carcinoma
radial scar/complex sclerosing lesion
scar
fat necrosis
What is the ddx of developping asymmetry on mammography?
Fibrosis PASH Fibrocystic changes trauma infection radial scar intraductal carcinoma
What is the size of needle typically used for fine needle aspiration in breast pathology?
22-18 gauge hypodermic needle
When biopsying an axillary lymph node, where should you direct your needle?
You want to biopsy tissue from the cortex of the lymph node, not the hilum
What should you do at the end of every breast biopsy?
Leave a clip in the location of the biopsy
What is the main indication for stereotactic core needle biopsy of the breast?
To biopsy microcalcifications since they cannot be visualized on ultrasound
What is Ddx of a complex solid and cystic mass on breast ultrasound?
Papillary lesion (papilloma +++, papillary carcinoma) Fibrocystic changes aprocine metaplasia intraductal carcinoma with necerosis abscess hematoma
What % of core biopsies with flat epithelial hyperplasia are upstaged to DCIS+ on surgical excision? % of atypical ductal hyperplasia?
14% of patients with a core needle biopsy of FEA will be upstaged to DCIS or invasive carcinoma upon surgical excision.
Approximately 18% of ADH diagnosed by core needle biopsy will be upstaged to either invasive carcinoma or DCIS upon surgical excision.
BREAST
What % of ductal carcinoma in situ will progress to invasive ductal carcinoma within 10 years?
Between 30% to 50% of patients with DCIS will develop invasive carcinoma within 10 years.
What % of patients diagnosed with DCIS by ultrasound guided core needle biopsy are upstaged to invasive carcinoma upon surgical excision?
Approximately 43% of DCIS diagnosed by ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy is upstaged to invasive carcinoma upon surgical excision.
What are the risk factors for developping breast cancer?
Female gender
Increasing age
BRCA1/BRCA2 mutation (50-80% chance by 80yr)
First degree relative with breast cancer
Prior chest radiation for lymphoma
Long-term estrogen exposure (early menarche, late menopause, late first pregnancy, nulliparity, obesity)
• Prior biopsy result of a high risk lesion in the lobular neoplasia spectrum, including atypical lobular hyperplasia (ALH) and lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS). Women with LCIS have a 30% risk of developing invasive cancer (usually invasive ductal), which may occur in either breast.
What is the most common type of breast cancer?
The most common type of breast cancer is invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC), representing 70–80% of cases
BREAST
What are the subtypes of (invasive) ductal carcinoma?
ductal carcinoma NOS Tubular carcinoma Mucinous carcinoma Medullary carcinoma Papillary carcinoma Adenoid cystic carcinoma
What is Paget disease of the nipple?
Paget disease of the nipple is a form of DCIS that infiltrates the epidermis of the nipple.
In non-metastatic breast cancer, what is the most important prognostic factor?
In non-metastatic breast cancer, axillary lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor, with the absence of nodal involvement offering the highest likelihood of cure
In the assessment of axillary lymphadenopathy in breast cancer, what is the sensitivity of surgical sentinel lymph node biopsy?
93%
TRUE OR FALSE
Triple negative breast cancer often appears as a round mass with smooth margins on mammography/ultrasound
TRUE
On imaging, triple-negative cancers may show benign features on mammography and ultrasound despite their aggressive nature. They are often round with smooth margins, without spiculations and calcifications, and are located posteriorly in the breast.
A sentinel lymph node biopsy will be performed in cases of DCIS if what findings are present? (2)
Necrosis
Microinvasive disease
On mammography, what types of calcification suggest the presence of a high grade DCIS (necrosis)?
On mammography, the typical manifestation of high-grade DCIS is pleomorphic or fine linear branching calcifications, which are caused by calcification of necrotic debris in the duct lumen.
What is granulomatous mastitis?
Granulomatous mastitis is a rare idiopathic noninfectious cause of breast inflammation that occurs in young women after childbirth.
May be associated with breast feeding or oral contracetives.
The mammographic and sonographic features of granulomatous mastitis may mimic breast cancer and biopsy is usually warranted.
What is periductal mastitis?
Also known as plasma cell mastitis
Caused by the irritating contents of intraductal lipids. It is seen in post-menopausal women and produces the classic mammographic appearance of large, rod-like secretory calcifications.
BREAST
How are rolled views obtained?
Rolled views are obtained by moving the top and bottom of the breast in opposite directions. Rolled views are helpful to localize a lesion that is seen on the CC view only.
• Two rolled views are typically obtained. A view is obtained with the top of the breast rolled medially (RCCM) and a second view with the top rolled laterally (RCCL).
If a lesion moves medially with an RCCM view, then it’s in the superior breast. If a lesion moves laterally with an RCCM view, then it’s in the inferior breast.