Foreword Introduction Breast anatomy

Introduction Gross anatomy Breast tissue Microscopic anatomy Vascular and lymphatic supply Development of the breast Changes in the breast with ageing

Clinical breast examination (CBE)

Breast cancer screening versus early diagnosis Performing a breast examination Practical tips when performing breast examinations Common abnormalities Interpretation: normal/negative cases Interpretation: abnormal/positive cases Documentation Pitfalls and limitations

Breast imaging

Introduction Evolution of breast imaging Techniques Principles of mammography Mammography technique

Mammography unit Basic functioning Mammography procedure

Scheduling a woman for mammography Obtaining mammographic images

Procedural steps Right MLO view Right CC view Left MLO view Left CC view

Technical adequacy of acquired mammographic views

Mediolateral oblique (MLO) view Craniocaudal (CC) view

Additional mammographic views

Introduction Spot compression magnification view 90 degrees lateral views Exaggerated craniocaudal view Cleavage view Axillary tail view Lumpectomy specimen mammography

Pitfalls

Incorrect MLO positioning Inadequate breast compression Screen artefacts on mammographic image Overstretched RCC and RMLO views Opacities from body parts causing artefacts in the examination field Breast tissue inadequately pulled onto the image receptor

Image processing

Mammography interpretation Breast ultrasound

Introduction Indications Equipment: Basic components and functioning Technique

Getting ready Procedural steps

Benefits Limitations Learning breast ultrasound

Normal anatomy Breast changes in special stages of life Breast changes in special stages of life (2) Interpreting the abnormalities

Ultrasound lexicon

Ultrasound lexicon Breast tissue composition Breast masses

Breast masses Shape Orientation Margin Echo pattern Posterior features

Calcifications Associated features

Associated features Architectural distortion Oedema Duct changes Skin changes Vascularity

Special cases

Special cases Cysts Mass in skin Foreign body Lymph nodes – Intramammary Lymph nodes – Axillary Postsurgical fluid collection Fat necrosis

Ultrasound-guided interventional procedures

Ultrasound-guided interventional procedures Advantages Fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) Core needle biopsy of the breast

Reporting and final assessment categories

Standard reporting of breast imaging Report template Final assessment categories

Final assessment categories BI-RADS 0 BI-RADS 1 BI-RADS 2 BI-RADS 3 BI-RADS 4 BI-RADS 5 BI-RADS 6

Breast pathology

Introduction Cytopathology of the breast

Cytopathology of the breast Procedure for palpable breast masses

FNAC procedure Equipment Getting ready Locating the palpable breast lump Aspiration Smear preparation technique Fixation of the smears Staining procedure Additional points to remember in breast FNAC procedure Reporting terminology

Histopathology of the breast

Specimen types Processing of tissue for histopathology Specimen transport Specimen grossing Grossing of excision biopsy specimens Localization of lesion with mammography Histological techniques Histopathology reporting format Description and significance of the components of the report

Histological grade Histological subtype Tumour size Margins Features of DCIS Lymphovascular invasion Immunohistochemistry for biomarkers Pathological staging

Case studies

BI-RADS 1

ACR category a ACR category b ACR category c ACR category d

BI-RADS 2

Cystic

Simple cyst Complicated cyst

Solid

Fibroadenoma Phyllodes Adenosis

Fat-containing solid

Lipoma Hamartoma Galactocele

Calcified benign mass

Involuting fibroadenoma

Calcifications – typically benign

Skin Vascular Coarse or popcorn-like Large rod-like Round Rim Dystrophic Milk of calcium Suture Diffusely scattered calcifications bilaterally

Miscellaneous

Trauma Infection Inflammatory Granulomatous mastitis Intramammary node Fibrocystic changes Accessory breast Fat necrosis Oil cyst

BI-RADS 3

BI-RADS 3

BI-RADS 4

4A-Low suspicion for malignancy 4B-Moderate suspicion for malignancy 4C-High suspicion for malignancy

BI-RADS 5

IBC-Microcalcifications IBC-Skin thickening IBC-Skin retraction IBC-Nipple retraction IBC-Architectural distortion IBC-Spiculated margin IBC-Indistinct margin IBC-Obscured margin IBC-Microlobulated margin IBC-Metaplastic carcinoma IBC-Nipple erosion IBC–Occult primary in breast with nodal metastases IBC with metastatic intramammary node IBC with coarse heterogeneous calcifications IBC with Paget disease IBC with neuroendocrine differentiation IBC in neurofibromatosis Encapsulated papillary carcinoma Multifocal Multicentric Invasive cribriform carcinoma Infiltrating lobular carcinoma Inflammatory carcinoma Malignant phyllodes Medullary carcinoma Mucinous carcinoma Bilateral synchronous carcinoma Calcification of suspicious morphology

BI-RADS 6

BI-RADS 6

Miscellaneous cases

Post-operative breast Developing asymmetries Screen-positive TRAM flap Metastatic breast

Quiz Acknowledgements Authors Suggested citation Copyright

Home / Training / Manuals / Atlas of breast cancer early detection / Cases

Atlas of breast cancer early detection

Go back to the list of case studies

Click on the pictures to magnify and display the legends

Case number:	147
Age:	44
Clinical presentation:	Premenopausal woman with average risk of developing breast cancer presented with a left axillary lump. The lump has been present for many years but appears to have increased in size recently and the patient is concerned about how it looks. Examination reveals a soft tissue bulge in the left axilla, but no palpable breast lesion.

Mammography:

Breast composition:	ACR category c (the breasts are heterogeneously dense, which may obscure small masses)
Mammography features:

‣ Location of the lesion:	Accessory breast tissue with fibroglandular tissue is seen in the left axilla. No abnormalities seen in bilateral breasts
‣ Mass:
• Number:	0
• Size:	None
• Shape:	None
• Margins:	None
• Density:	None
‣ Calcifications:
• Typically benign:	None
• Suspicious:	None
• Distribution:	None
‣ Architectural distortion:	None
‣ Asymmetry:	None
‣ Intramammary node:	None
‣ Skin lesion:	None
‣ Solitary dilated duct:	None
‣ Associated features:	None

BI-RADS:

BI-RADS Category: 2 (benign)

Case summary:

Premenopausal woman presented with a left axillary lump. Diagnosed as left axilla accessory breast tissue, BI-RADS 2 on imaging.

Learning points:

Accessory breast tissue is a normal variant and can present as a mass anywhere along the course of the embryonic mammary streak (axilla to the inguinal region), but is commonly seen as an axillary accessory breast in addition to the normal breast tissue. It can be unilateral or bilateral.
Accessory breast tissue is present since birth, but the woman is unaware of it until puberty, pregnancy, or lactation when it undergoes changes under hormonal influence.
Accessory breast is known to undergo all the physiological changes and is also the site for development of benign breast masses, commonly fibroadenoma, cyst, fat necrosis, and neoplastic mass of breast cancer.

IARC, 150 Cours Albert Thomas, 69372 Lyon CEDEX 08, France - Tel: +33 (0)4 72 73 84 85 - Fax: +33 (0)4 72 73 85 75
© IARC 2024 - All Rights Reserved.