Breast masses with mixed cystic‐solid sonographic appearance

Abstract

Retrospective analysis was performed for 56 breast masses with mixed cystic and solid sonographic patterns encountered in the last 5 years at Keio University Hospital, with the objective of elucidating their significance. The lesions were classified into two major groups: tumor with cyst (TWC--solid mass with cystic component) and intracystic tumor (ICT--cystic mass with solid component). According to the pathological diagnosis, 57% were benign and 43% were malignant. Fifty eight percent of malignant lesions were shown to have a TWC pattern and 42% an ICT pattern. Among benign lesions, 66% were shown to be TWC and 34% ICT. In malignant tumors, 96% of the cases showed irregular shape and heterogeneous internal content. Even in benign lesions, a high incidence of irregular shape and rough border was found, although the predominant internal echo texture was homogeneous, and three-dimensional (3-D) contour was not clear. In conclusion, we observed that in the TWC group, the lack of a defined 3-D contour is the most important criterion, and tumors with multiples cysts tend to be benign.

Sonographic-pathologic correlation of complex cystic breast lesions

“…All of them showed well-defined margin, but only one lesion had irregular margin. Although, both type II and III cystic lesions were described in these papillomas, type III were slight predominance in number (9 of 14, 64%).…”

“…One article reported the malignant rate of complex cystic breast lesion is 22%2. Variable results of malignant rate in each type of the complex cystic breast masses (type I-III) have been reported in many study [4,[9][10][11] .…”

“…The pathologic results of these complex cysts are varied from benign to malignant. The previous study also showed varying results in proportion between benign and malignant of complex cysts based on sonographic study [9][10][11] .…”

Review of Breast Cancers That Can Mimic a Cystic Component: Ultrasonographic and Pathologic Correlations

“…Subsequent hemorrhage into the site of necrosis will lead to the formation of a large hemorrhagic malignant cyst (3). An infiltrating ductal carcinoma is seen as a hypoechogenic mass with irregular margins and variable acoustic shadowing on sonography, but it will appear as a well-circumscribed mass with posterior acoustic enhancement (Fig.…”

“…Pathologic central necrosis of a high-grade infiltrating ductal carcinoma can lead to a cystic component within a solid mass (Fig. 1B) (3).…”