Ultrasonographic Features of Benign Adenomyoepithelioma of the Breast

Abstract

ObjectiveThe purpose of this study was to evaluate the ultrasonographic features of benign adenomyoepithelioma of the breast.Materials and MethodsBetween 2005 and 2009, five patients had histologically confirmed adenomyoepithelioma of the breast. We retrospectively evaluated the ultrasonographic findings of the tumors in correlation with the pathology, and reviewed medical records.ResultsThe clinical manifestations included a palpable mass in three patients, while mammographic screening helped detect abnormalities in two patients. Ultrasonograms showed masses with an oval (n = 3) or irregular (n = 2) shape, with uncircumscribed (n = 4) or relatively well-circumscribed (n = 1) margins, as well as with a hypoechoic (n = 3) or a complex echoic (n = 2) internal echo texture. Three patients had focal ductectasia adjacent to the mass. The ultrasonographic assessments were classified as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) category 4A, with low suspicion of malignancy in two cases, and as category 4B, with intermediate suspicion of malignancy in three cases. The pathology revealed benign adenomyoepithelioma in all patients.ConclusionBenign adenomyoepitheliomas appear as solid or complex echoic masses with suspicious malignant ultrasonographic features, which may be associated with adjacent ductectasia. Although adenomyoepithelioma is a rare breast tumor, awareness of its sonographic features will be helpful for the differential diagnosis from other tumors.

Imaging features of benign adenomyoepithelioma of the breast

“…Mammographic findings of benign adenomyoepithelioma in previous reports were nonspecific. The tumors were reported as oval or irregular, relatively circumscribed or indistinct, and isodense or hyperdense 8–11. Our study also showed nonspecific mammographic findings.…”

“…Because adenomyoepithelioma is rare, most reports in the literature describing its imaging appearances are individual case reports or studies of fewer than 5 cases 8–14. The purpose of our study was to retrospectively evaluate the mammographic and sonographic (US) features of benign adenomyoepithelioma of the breast and to briefly review the literature.…”

Adenomyoepithelioma with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

“…AME arises from myoepithelial and epithelial cells in the normal breast lobules and ducts [6]. These tumours are characterised by biphasic proliferation of epithelial and myoepithelial cells.…”

Adenomioepitelioma de la Mama: Reporte de un Caso

“…Los hallazgos en la mamografía son inespecíficos apareciendo generalmente como masas circunscritas, sin calcificaciones intratumorales en su mayoría catalogados como BIRADS 4, mientras que lesiones mal delimitadas con presencia de microcalcificaciones hacen sospechar al radió-logo un comportamiento maligno. En la ecotomografía por su parte se reconoce como un nódulo hipoecoico relativamente bien circunscrito pudiendo presentar refuerzo posterior y en raras ocasiones cambios quísticos (Tavassoli;Catena et al;Lee et al;Howlett et al, 2003).…”

“…El adenomioepitelioma es un infrecuente tumor de la mama, conformado por una proliferación bifásica de cé-lulas epiteliales y mioepiteliales (Chu et al, 2006;Lee et al, 2010;Rosen, 1987). La mayoría de estos tumores presentan un comportamiento benigno, sin embargo, en raras ocasiones presenta degeneración maligna (Catena et al, 2008).…”