Paget's disease of the nipple diagnosed by MRI.
BACKGROUND
Paget's disease of the breast is a rare manifestation of breast carcinoma.


METHODS
The patient presented with a red lesion of the left nipple-areola complex. Breast physical examination, ultrasonography and mammography were normal bilaterally. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) correctly depicted Paget's disease of the nipple. Before surgery the patient underwent biopsy of the lesion that showed Paget's disease of the breast associated with an underlying ductal carcinoma in situ. The patient underwent left mastectomy and unilateral axillary lymph node dissection. The patient refused the breast-conserving surgery because she was afraid that she could have a recurrence of the carcinoma. Microscopy of the lesion confirmed the MRI diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI was very useful and accurate to diagnose Paget's disease of the breast without palpable mass, ultrasonographic and mammographic findings.
Capobianco
Giampiero
G
Department of Pharmacology, Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Sassari, Viale San Pietro 12, Sassari 07100, Italy. capobsass@tiscali.it
Spaliviero
Bernardino
B
Dessole
Salvatore
S
Cherchi
Pier Luigi
PL
Marras
Vincenzo
V
Ambrosini
Guido
G
Meloni
Francesco
F
Meloni
Giovanni Battista
GB
D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009558:Nipples / Q000473:pathology*; D010144:Paget's Disease, Mammary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography