title: Hemangioma of the breast: an unusual lesion without univocal diagnostic findings.
abstract: Hemangiomas of the breast, either capillary or cavernous, are thin-walled, blood-filled vascular spaces, separated by fibrous septa, with extensive fibrosis and sometimes phleboliths. Clinical diagnosis is rather difficult. Generally they are coincidental microscopic findings. We report herein a case of breast hemangioma misdiagnosed at ultrasound and mammography. A 63-year-old woman described intermittent sharp pain in the right breast. Physical examination, mammography and ultrasonography were not sufficient for the diagnosis. Surgical excision of the lesion was performed. At histology it was found to be a cavernous hemangioma without cellular atypia. The patient is now 9 months post surgery and is well. The role of the single diagnostic examination is limited. The Authors believe the complementary role of all available techniques in the evaluation of a breast lesion.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Surgery Pietro Valdoni, University of Rome La Sapienza, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Aurello
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cicchini
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Mingazzini
mesh_terms: D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D014463:Ultrasonography