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Atlas of breast cancer early detection

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Case number:149
Age:53
Clinical presentation:Postmenopausal woman with increased risk of developing breast cancer presented for postoperative surveillance. She had previously undergone breast-conserving surgery for invasive carcinoma of the right breast and also has family history of breast carcinoma.


Mammography:


Breast composition:ACR category b (there are scattered areas of fibroglandular density)
Mammography features:

 ‣ Location of the lesion:Right breast, upper central quadrant along surgical scar
 ‣ Mass:
   • Number:0
   • Size:None
   • Shape:None
   • Margins:None
   • Density:None
 ‣ Calcifications:
   • Typically benign:Eggshell, typically benign with lucent centres along surgical scar
   • 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:

Postmenopausal woman who had undergone breast-conserving surgery for right breast cancer on regular surveillance. Diagnosed as dystrophic calcification in proximity to the surgical scar, BI-RADS 2 on imaging.

Learning points:


  • Eggshell calcifications after surgery and radiotherapy of the breast are sequelae of fat necrosis changes. These are confidently labelled as typically benign-appearing calcifications.

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