1/131. Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. Report of a case diagnosed with fine needle aspiration cytology. BACKGROUND: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a benign, inflammatory breast disease of unknown etiology. Although it is rare, it frequently presents in a manner similar to that of breast carcinoma. CASE: A 41-year-old female developed unilateral idiopathic granulomatous mastitis, diagnosed by fine needle aspiration cytology. The clinical presentation and mammographic findings were suspicious for carcinoma. Fine needle aspiration cytology showed granulomatous inflammation. Histopathologic examination revealed a noncaseating, granulomatous lesion. Further clinical, radiologic and laboratory investigations disclosed no etiology. Therefore, we considered the case to be idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. CONCLUSION: Cytologically it may be difficult to distinguish IGM from carcinoma of the breast. Typical cytologic findings of the lesion are helpful to rule out cancer. In the differential diagnosis, all known causes of granulomatous changes have to be excluded before a diagnosis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is made. ( info) |
| Two new cases of human dirofilariasis, occurred in women aged 46 and 52 years, respectively, both living in Lombardy (Northern italy) are reported. Dirofilaria repens nematodes were localised in the breast in both cases. In one of them the parasite was accidentally extracted while the patient underwent a fine needle aspirate. The international literature records 30 cases of breast dirofilariasis. Except in rare cases, the parasite was located subcutaneously in the breast, and nested in a nodule. The clinical diagnoses were consistently wrong, the nodule being diagnosed as a suspected tumor of the breast. ( info) |
3/131. Cordylobia anthropophaga mastitis mimicking breast cancer: case report. A case of furuncular myiasis of the breast due to infestation by the larva of Cordylobia anthropophaga in a young lady is presented. Some of the physical presentations of Cordylobia anthropophaga mastitis are similar to those of carcinoma of the breast. High index of suspicion in endemic areas, including patients who had visited such areas, the characteristic intense itching of the affected breast, the use of the magnifying hand lens and subsequent extraction of the offending maggots are the invaluable aids to diagnosis and treatment. The ulcer left on the breast after extraction of the maggot should be biopsied and the associated ill defined mass and skin changes must be seen to resolve completely before carcinoma of the breast can be safely ruled out. The various methods of extraction and the preventive measures are highlighted. Though furuncular myiasis has been reported to involve every part of domestic animals, this is the first reported case in literature involving the human breast. ( info) |
4/131. Fine needle aspiration biopsy of mastitis secondary to empyema necessitatis. A report of two cases. BACKGROUND: empyema necessitatis is a relatively rare entity. Two instances of mastitis secondary to empyema necessitatis, diagnosed by fine needle aspiration biopsy are reported. CASES: One case was tuberculous in etiology and was initially recognized by cytologic findings of epithelioid and granulomatous cellular reactions and the presence of acid-fast bacilli, which were subsequently cultured and speciated as mycobacterium tuberculosis. The other case was due to coexisting actinomyces and actinobacillus. These organisms were cytologically suggested by "sulfur" granules of filamentous, gram-positive bacilli, admixed gram-negative coccobacilli and Splendore-Hoeppli phenomenon in an exudative cell background and were confirmed by microbiologic culture as actinomyces israelii and Astinomyces actinomycetemcomitans, respectively. CONCLUSION: The usefulness of fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis of empyema necessitatis, supported by ancillary microbial culture, histochemistry, and radiographic imaging, is well illustrated by these two cases. ( info) |
5/131. granulomatous mastitis as presenting sign of Wegener's granulomatosis. A case where a breast tumor was the initial manifestation of Wegener's granulomatosis is presented. breast biopsy revealed granulomatous mastitis, and treatment with tuberculostatic drugs was started. Following an initial improvement the patient finally died. Postmortem, the diagnosis of generalised Wegener's granulomatosis was made. Although Wegener's granulomatosis is a very rare cause of granulomatous mastitis, it should be considered in the differential diagnosis. A brief outline of the literature is given. ( info) |
| PURPOSE: Whole-body fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) scanning has been useful in the management of breast cancer. However, F-18 FDG uptake sometimes has been associated with benign breast disease. Four cases are reported of F-18 FDG breast uptake caused by infectious or inflammatory mastitis that mimics malignant disease. methods AND RESULTS: Two women had F-18 FDG whole-body scans for the evaluation of a large breast mass after inconclusive results of ultrasonography. In both cases, intense focal F-18 FDG breast uptake was noted that mimicked breast cancer. Histologic examination showed, in one patient, chronic granulomatous infiltration that likely represented tuberculous mastitis, because she showed a good clinical response to empirical anti-tuberculous treatment. The second patient had lactational changes associated with acute inflammation, and the culture grew staphylococcus aureus. The breast mass completely disappeared 3 weeks after a course of antibiotic treatment. The other two patients had staging F-18 FDG PET scans 1 and 12 months after lumpectomy for breast carcinoma to detect residual, recurrent, or metastatic disease. Both scans showed a ring-like uptake in the involved breast, with superimposed intense focal uptake suggesting tumor necrosis centrally and malignant foci peripherally. In both cases, histologic examination revealed hemorrhagic inflammation secondary to postsurgical hematomas and no evidence of malignancy. CONCLUSION: Acute or chronic infectious mastitis and postsurgical hemorrhagic inflammatory mastitis should be considered in patients who have a breast mass, especially those with a history of tenderness or surgery. ( info) |
| granulomatous mastitis is a benign mammary lesion, which clinically can closely simulate breast cancer. The condition has only recently been recognized, less than a dozen cases being recorded in the English literature. Two further cases are presented, the histological features are illustrated, and the literature is reviewed. ( info) |
8/131. Localized pustulosis induced by betalactams. Localized forms of pustular drug eruptions related to antibiotics are uncommon and their mechanism is still unknown. We describe herein a patient who developed numerous pin-head pustules without erythema in the peribuccal area after ingestion of ceftibuten and amoxicillin. The relationship with these drugs was confirmed by single-blind oral challenges. The following tests were performed: prick and intradermal tests with benzylpenicilloyl polylysine, minor determinant mixture, benzylpenicillin and amoxicillin; patch tests were also carried out with benzylpenicillin, amoxicillin, cloxacillin, cefuroxime, ceftriaxone, cefazolin, ceftibuten and cefaclor. All cutaneous tests were negative. Controlled single-blind challenge tests were performed with amoxicillin, cefadroxil, ceftibuten, cefuroxime, cefaclor, erythromycin and ciprofloxacin. All betalactam antibiotics tested gave a positive reaction, with good tolerance of other antibiotics; this would appear to indicate a specific mechanism of hypersensitivity and not an unspecific reaction to wide spectrum antibiotics. ( info) |
9/131. Diabetic mastopathy: a report of 5 cases and a review of the literature. BACKGROUND: Diabetic mastopathy is an unusual fibroinflammatory breast lesion that characteristically presents in premenopausal women with long-standing type 1 diabetes mellitus with multiple microvascular complications. The pathogenesis of this condition is believed to involve an autoimmune reaction to the accumulation of abnormal matrix induced by hyperglycemia. Clinicopathologic features include the development of dense keloidlike breast masses that are often recurrent or bilateral or both. Clinical distinction from a malignancy can be difficult. However, the benign nature of this lesion is easily recognized on histologic examination, and it is not associated with an increased incidence of epithelial or stromal neoplasia. HYPOTHESIS: A constellation of histopathologic and clinical features is necessary to make the diagnosis of diabetic mastopathy. Unnecessary surgery can be avoided in the clinical follow-up of patients with multiple, bilateral, and recurrent lesions. DESIGN: Case series. patients AND methods: Between December 1993 and December 1998, 5 premenopausal women with type 1 diabetes mellitus of 18 to 23 years' duration presented with nontender, palpable, firm-to-hard breast masses. To date, progression of the tumorlike proliferations has been bilateral and recurrent in 2 patients, bilateral in a third patient, and recurrent in a fourth. The fifth patient has developed neither bilateral nor recurrent lesions. Imaging studies did not in any patient demonstrate a focal lesion. All lesions were treated by either excisional (4 patients) or core (1 patient) biopsy. The resected specimens were examined histopathologically. RESULTS: Gross examination of the specimens showed firm masses with homogeneous tannish-white cut surfaces. They measured between 3.0 and 6.0 cm in maximum diameter. Microscopic examination showed keloidal fibrosis with ductitis, lobulitis, and vasculitis. The clinical profile in combination with these pathologic features is characteristic of diabetic mastopathy. CONCLUSIONS: physicians should be aware of the association of long-standing diabetes mellitus with the development of benign fibroinflammatory breast lesions when managing these in premenopausal women. We outline the constellation of findings on clinical examination, medical history, imaging studies, and histopathologic examination that are required to make the diagnosis of diabetic mastopathy. Although these breast masses may be recurrent, they are not premalignant. In the appropriate setting, the diagnosis can be made by core biopsy, avoiding unnecessary surgeries in patients with multiple, bilateral, or recurrent lesions. ( info) |
| BACKGROUND: granulomatous mastitis, a rare, benign breast condition characterized by granulomas and abscess formation, is mistaken frequently for inflammatory breast carcinoma. Although it has been reported in reproductive-age women, it is unusual in pregnancy. CASE: A 25-year-old black gravida 4 para 2 developed a tender, indurated 20 x 15 x 15 cm multilobulated breast mass at 17 weeks' gestation. After not responding to antibiotics and incisional drainage, the biopsy-proved granulomatous mastitis improved with corticosteroid treatment. A postpartum recurrence also responded to steroid therapy. CONCLUSION: granulomatous mastitis is diagnosed clinically and histologically. Early recognition and initiation of steroid treatment might prevent repetitive, deforming breast biopsies. ( info) |