Interstitial fluid and hypoechoic wall: two sonographic signs of breast abscess.
OBJECTIVE
Many mammographic and sonographic features of breast abscess overlap with those of carcinoma. We reviewed the usefulness of interstitial fluid and hypoechoic walls in the sonographic diagnosis of breast abscess.


METHODS
The sonograms and records of 65 patients with breast infection and 60 contemporaneous patients with breast cancer were retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
Of 49 abscesses identified in patients with breast infection, 14 (29%) had adjacent interstitial fluid that was sonographically visible, and 15 (31%) had a hypoechoic wall. No patients with breast cancer had either sign. The overall sensitivity of the presence of either sign was 55%, and the specificity was 100%.


CONCLUSIONS
Two sonographic findings, interstitial fluid and a hypoechoic wall, are relatively specific for breast abscess and may aid in the diagnosis of breast disease.
Radiology Department, Middlemore Hospital, Private Bag 93311, Otahuhu, Auckland, New Zealand.
S L
SL
Nguyen
A J
AJ
Doyle
P J
PJ
Symmans
D000038:Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005110:Extracellular Space / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography