Imaging findings in idiopathic granulomatous mastitis. A review with emphasis on magnetic resonance imaging.
OBJECTIVE
To describe magnetic resonance (MR) imaging features of patients with a histologic diagnosis of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM).


METHODS
Dynamic contrast-enhanced MR imaging was performed with a 1.5-T MR unit. Postprocessing of images included subtraction and calculation of time-intensity curves of the enhancing regions at several points in all patients.


RESULTS
In addition to granulomatous inflammation, biopsy slides of 5 patients demonstrated abscess formation without a specific organism (aseptic abscess). One patient had a fibrotic tissue component. Magnetic resonance imaging findings were heterogeneously enhancing areas with (n = 5) and without (n = 1) multiple ring-like enhanced abscesses and a circumscribed lesion with heterogeneous contrast enhancement (n = 1). Time-intensity curves showed a benign pattern in all but 1 patient.


CONCLUSIONS
Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis has a number of appearances on MR imaging. Magnetic resonance imaging with measurement of time-signal intensity curves may support the findings of ultrasonography and mammography in distinguishing benign inflammatory breast disorders from malignant ones; however, biopsy still remains the only method of definite diagnosis.
Department of Radiology, Gülhane Military Medical School, 06018, Etlik, Ankara, Turkey. kocaoglumurat@yahoo.com
Murat
M
Kocaoglu
Ibrahim
I
Somuncu
Fatih
F
Ors
Nail
N
Bulakbasi
Cem
C
Tayfun
Serkan
S
Ilkbahar
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D006099:Granuloma / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008413:Mastitis / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D016387:Women's Health
D015415:Biomarkers; D002097:C-Reactive Protein