Radiologic Features of Polyacrylamide Gel Mammoplasty

Abstract

Although polyacrylamide gel implants may mimic conventional implants on both sonography and MRI in women who do not have complications from mammoplasty, polyacrylamide gel implants have some distinguishing features. The imaging appearance of polyacrylamide gel implants is related to the technique of injection and whether there are any associated complications. The implants are usually in a retroglandular location. Mammography, sonography, and MRI can be used to evaluate short-term complications, although MRI appears to be the most sensitive. Common short-term complications include extravasation of polyacrylamide gel and secondary infection, which may be related to lactation. The long-term complications of polyacrylamide gel mammoplasty are unknown. Knowledge of the appearances of polyacrylamide gel implants in women with and those without complications from mammoplasty is useful in the radiologic evaluation of such patients.

Radiologic Features of Distant Filler Migration with Inflammatory Reaction Following Augmentation Mammoplasty Using Aquafilling® Filler

“…CT and MRI could precisely depict the extent of filler migration with adjacent soft tissue inflammatory changes. All of the radiologic findings in this case were very similar to those resulting from PAAG mammoplasty (11).…”

Complications and Radiologic Features of Breast Augmentation via Injection of Aquafilling Gel

“…On breast US, gel material was observed as anechoic septate fluidlike or occasionally turbid fluidlike lesions. These imaging features are similar to those of polyacrylamide gel mammoplasty …”

“…That filler has been widely used for interstitial mammoplasty for 10 years, especially in Asian countries . However, the use of polyacrylamide gel was banned in 2006 because there have been numerous reports that it results in adverse complications such as localized lumps, deformities, infections, gel migration, and even loss of the ability to breastfeed . We also observed gel migration to the deep chest wall, parasternal area, lower neck, and even the pelvic area in 3 patients who underwent Aquafilling gel augmentation mammoplasty at 4 to 27 months after surgery.…”

Imaging Features of Midface Injectable Fillers and Associated Complications

“…Polyacrylamide gel contains 2.5%-5% of polyacrylamide suspended in 95%-97.5% water and is biocompatible. 25 Due to the high water content, polyacrylamide gel displays high signal intensity on T2-weighted images and low signal intensity on T1-weighted images, 3 similar to that of water on MR imaging (Fig 8). Thus, polyacrylamide gel is best depicted by using a T2-weighted MR imaging with or without fat suppression to delineate its location and extent.…”