title: Fat necrosis of the breast--a review.
abstract: Fat necrosis of the breast is a benign condition that most frequently affects peri-menopausal women. It can mimic breast cancer clinically or radiologically. In other cases it can obscure malignant lesions. The core of this review is derived from a MEDLINE database literature search from 1966-2004. Further references were from lateral search. In this paper, we review the pathogenesis and pathology clinical and radiological features of fat necrosis of the breast. The implication of fat necrosis in the management of patients with breast lump is also discussed. Fat necrosis of breast is a complex process. Therefore, a systematic review of this condition will enable surgeons, radiologists and oncologists working in the field of breast disease to understand it better and improve its management.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Hillingdon Hospital NHS Trust, Pield Health Road, Uxbridge, Middlesex, UB8 3NN, UK.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Tan
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.forename: E V
authors.initials: EV
authors.lastname: Carrington
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Opaluwa
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Ravikumar
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chetty
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kaplan
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.forename: E D
authors.initials: ED
authors.lastname: Babu
mesh_terms: D044963:Biopsy, Fine-Needle; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005218:Fat Necrosis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008327:Mammography; D014463:Ultrasonography