Learning objectives
-Review entities presenting with breast enlargement.
-Illustrate imaging findingsproviding clinical images and pathologic correlation.
-Emphasize pitfalls, clues for differential diagnosis andmanagement.
Background
Breast enlargement is a striking sign caused by different benign and malignant entities.
Frequently viewed as an emergency by patients due to the awareness of breast cancer, imaging findings and management pose a challenge for the radiologist.
Findings and procedure details
1.Clinical presentation.
Presentation is most frequently unilateral, rare bilateral, either with sudden or progressive onset.
Associated findings may include edema, tenderness, skin thickening, dimpling (“peau d´orange sign”), dermal lesions and breast masses.
2. Pathologic entities:
Different lesions either arising within the breast or from adjacent tissues may cause breast enlargement.
2.1. Breast.
2.1.1. Normal variants:
•Developmental variants ( Fig. 1 ). Unilateral premature thelarche or asymmetric development of breast buds causesize asymmetry in girls which may persist in adult breastsalthough they tend to reach similar...
Conclusion
Breast enlargement may have either a benign or malignant origin. Imaging is sometimes difficult and non-specific.
Knowledge of the different pathologic entities causing this striking clinical sign in essential in order to recognize them and provide an adequate diagnosis and management.
Personal information and conflict of interest
R. M. Lorente Ramos
F. J. Azpeitia Armán
C. Oliva Fonte
J. M. Garcia Gomez
J. M. Lopez-Arcas Callejas
F. Fernández Alarza
Unidad Central de Radiodiagnóstico de la CAM: Hospital UniversitarioInfanta Leonor.
Madrid SPAIN
The authors have no relevant disclosures
References
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