Papillary Lesions of the Breast

  • Papillary lesions of the breast:
    • Are common
  • They are highly vascular lesions that are intraductal and may transform into malignant variants
  • In benign papillary lesions:
    • A vascular stalk may be demonstrated on color Doppler scanning:
      • While multiple feeding vessels may be seen when imaging malignant papillary lesions
  • When papillary lesions infarct:
    • The vascular stalk will not be demonstrated
  • The ability to reliably distinguish papilloma, in-situ papillary carcinoma, and invasive papillary carcinoma:
    • Is not possible with ultrasound and is quite challenging even on core biopsy:
      • Open surgical biopsy may need to be performed to distinguish malignant from benign papillary lesions
Acorn Cyst
  • An “acorn” cyst is lined with papillary apocrine metaplasia:
    • Which can form a mural nodule:
      • The nodule in an acorn cyst is less echogenic than papillomas or papillary carcinomas:
        • Is usually concave, following the contour of the cyst (thus the appearance of a cap on an acorn) instead of convex, and does not have a vascular stalk
          • The mural nodule caused by papillary apocrine metaplasia:
            • Also would not extend into the duct as the papillary lesion shown in the image does
  • Tubular adenomas and fibroadenomas:
    • Have a similar sonographic appearance and are frequently round or oval, although tubular adenomas can be fusiform or spindle shaped:
      • Both lesions occur during reproductive years and would not commonly present as a new finding in a postmenopausal patient
  • References
    • Jagmohan P, Pool FJ, Putti TC, Wong J. Papillary lesions of the breast: imaging findings and diagnostic challenges. Diagn Interv Radiol. 2013;19(6):471-478.
    • Wyss P, Varga Z, Rössle M, Rageth CJ. Papillary lesions of the breast: outcomes of 156 patients managed without excisional biopsy. Breast J. 2014;20(4):394-401.
    • Stavros AT. Breast Ultrasound. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 2004.
#Arrangoiz #BreastSurgeon #CancerSurgeon #SurgicalOncologist #MountSinaiMedicalCenter #MSMC #Miami #Mexico

Leave a comment