A better understanding of the term radial scar.
BACKGROUND
Radial scar is a breast lesion with mammographic and histologic features similar to carcinoma. We reviewed the characteristics of patients with radial scars to better understand these lesions and to determine the incidence of associated carcinoma.


METHODS
Records for all patients undergoing diagnostic wire localized excisional breast biopsy from January 1993 to September 1999 were reviewed to identify those with histologic or mammographic evidence of radial scar. Clinical records, mammograms, and pathologic slides of these patients were reviewed.


RESULTS
We identified 45 cases of radial scar: 10 patients had mammographic and histologic evidence of radial scar (group I), 29 only mammographic evidence (group II), and 6 only histologic evidence (group III). Breast cancer risk was similar in the three patient groups. Carcinoma was identified in 18 patients with mammographic radial scars.


CONCLUSIONS
Mammographically detected radial scars were associated with carcinoma in 18 of 39 (46%) cases. Histologically identified radial scars are not associated with malignancy and should not be confused with mammographically identified lesions.
King
T A
TA
Department of Surgery, Ochsner Clinic and Alton Ochsner Medical Foundation, New Orleans, Louisiana, USA
Scharfenberg
J C
JC
Smetherman
D H
DH
Farkas
E A
EA
Bolton
J S
JS
Fuhrman
G M
GM
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005348:Fibrocystic Breast Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies