title: Radial scar/complex sclerosing lesion of the breast--value of ultrasound.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Although benign, radial scar/complex sclerosing adenosis is a lesion which histopathologically resembles tubular carcinoma. On physical examination, it is difficult to distinguish radial scar from a malignant tumour. Mammography cannot differentiate radial scar from malignancy. This clinical study aims to delineate the role of preoperative ultrasonography with emphasis on the question whether ultrasonography could lower the number of false-positive readings and therefore the number of open biopsies required.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this examination, we present the clinical, mammographic, ultrasonographic, and histopathological features of 6 cases of radial scars.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Although most authors describe radial scars as non-palpable, 2 of 6 lesions were indeed palpable. On mammograms, radial scars have a spiculated appearance, a feature observed in all of our cases. Numerous ultrasonographic characteristics are listed in the literature, but ultrasonography is not reported to have clear-cut advantages.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although this study did not elucidate any unique ultrasonographic features to characterise these lesions, the analysis of all ultrasonographic results made us recognise a set of "nearly specific ultrasonographic features" of radial scars. Current B-mode imaging does not appear to lead to the desirable reduction of the rate of unnecessary open biopsies.
authors.affiliation: Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University Greifswald, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics. susanne.grunwald@uni-greifswald.de
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Grunwald
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Heyer
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kühl
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwesinger
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schimming
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Köhler
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ohlinger
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002921:Cicatrix / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008327:Mammography; D008875:Middle Aged; D010173:Palpation; D014463:Ultrasonography