Sonographic and mammographic findings of breast liquid silicone injection.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the sonographic and mammographic features of patients whose breasts have been injected with silicone.


METHODS
Between July 1997 and August 1999, 14 patients with a history of breast injection of liquid silicone underwent physical, mammographic, and sonographic examination. Mammographic findings were classified as macronodular, micronodular, or mixed striated patterns. Sonographic appearances were classified as macronodular, micronodular, mixed, or snowstorm patterns.


RESULTS
Eighty-six percent of the patients had abnormal physical examination. Well-defined nodules were palpable in 4 patients, 6 patients had diffusely heterogeneous breasts on palpation, and 2 patients had a combination of heterogeneous texture with dominant nodules. Sonographic examination revealed the presence of marked echogenicity (i.e., snowstorm pattern) in all 14 patients; in 11 patients it was associated with macronodules and/or micronodules, whereas in 3 patients only snowstorm appearance was noted. Mammographic patterns were macronodular in 7 patients and mixed macronodular and micronodular in 6 patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Both mammography and sonography can help identify free silicone injected directly into the breast.
Scaranelo
Anabel Medeiros
AM
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, EPM (Paulista School of Medicine), UNIFESP, Federal University of São Paulo, Vila Clementino, Brazil.
de Fátima Ribeiro Maia
Maria
M
D000328:Adult; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005549:Foreign-Body Reaction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007267:Injections; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D012828:Silicones / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary
D012828:Silicones