Learning objectives
Breast lesions containing mucin represent a broad spectrum of diseases that can be classified according to the location of the mucin in the extracellular or intracellular compartment.
Mucocele-like tumor of the breast is a rare condition in which the lesion is characterized pathologically by an accumulation of extracellular mucin.
We propose to attend these objectives:
Illustrate and review the findings of mucocele-like tumors on mammography,
ultrasound and MRI;
Compare the imaging findings with the pathological ones;
Evaluate the differential radiologic findings of the diseases with...
Background
Mucocele-like tumors of the breast (MLT) are an uncommon condition in which the lesion is characterized pathologically by an accumulation of mucin.
In 1986,
Rosen¹ described mucocele-like tumors of the breast as a benign cystic lesion with mucinous material that breaks into the adjacent stroma,
similarly to the mucocele of the salivary glands.
Subsequent studies demonstrated that MLT is part of spectrum of pathologic findings characterized by pure benign tumor,
benign tumor with atypical ductal hyperplasia,
with in situ component or even associated with mucinous...
Findings and procedure details
During the period from January 2009 to October 2014,
we searched the terms mucin,
mucocele and mucinous in our radiology department database.
The research resulted in 41 lesions in 40 patients with histological diagnosis of diseases with extracellular mucin from a total of 5227 patients submitted to imaging-guided breast biopsy during the same period.
The age of the patients ranged from 36 to 84 years old,
mean age of 57 yo.
We retrospectively analyzed the mammograms,
ultrasounds and MRI of those patients according to the...
Conclusion
Mucocele-like tumors are a rare breast disease with radiologic findings that reflect the pathologic ones,
but which are highly nonspecific.
The radiological findings provided no specific clue for differentiating benign from malignant mucocele-like tumors and for differentiating mucocele-like tumors from other lesions of the breast.
Because of underestimation at core biopsy,
surgical excision is still recommended for all mucocele-like tumors to exclude the possibility of associated mucinous carcinoma.
Personal information
Carla Andries Cres Lyrio,
Department Radiology,
Albert Einstein Hospital,
São Paulo,
Brazil;
[email protected]
Renata Feres,
Department of Breast Radiology,
Albert Einstein Hospital,
São Paulo,
Brazil;
[email protected]
Marcus Vinicius de Nigro Corpa,
Department of Breast Pathology,
Albert Einstein Hospital,
São Paulo,
Brazil;
[email protected]
Carlos Shimizu,
Department of Breast Radiology,
Albert Einstein Hospital,
São Paulo,
Brazil;
[email protected]
Paula de Camargo Moraes,
Department of Breast Radiology,
Albert Einstein Hospital,
São Paulo,
Brazil;
[email protected]
References
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Mucocele-like tumors of the breast.
Am J Surg Pathol.
1986;10(7):464-9.
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Kim HH,
Kang DK,
Shin HJ,
Cho N,
Park JM,
et al.
Mucocele-like tumors of the breast as cystic lesions: sonographic-pathologic correlation.
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Reynolds C.
Original report.
Mucocele-like tumors of the breast: mammographic and sonographic appearances.
AJR Am J Roentgenol.
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Bleiweiss IJ,
Nagi CS.
Benign mucocele-like lesions of the breast: revisited.
Mod Pathol.
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5. Bode MK,
Rissanen...