Masses in mammography: what are the underlying anatomopathological lesions?
The semiological description of masses in mammography is based on the BI-RADS system provided by the American College of Radiology. The contour is the most discriminating morphological criterion between benign and malignant masses. Most circumscribed masses are benign. Nevertheless, due to specific histological characteristics, certain malignant lesions or lesions with a risk of malignancy may appear in the mammography in this falsely reassuring form. An indistinct contour in the mammography is suspicious and requires a tissue sample. The positive predictive value of malignancy varies according to the morphology of the contour. It is lower for microlobulated contours, increases for masked, then indistinct contours and reaches 96% for spiculated contours. However, in rare cases, certain benign lesions may appear in the form of spiculated masses. In these specific cases, a correlation between the histological results with the imaging data is essential in order to avoid failing to recognise an underlying malignant lesion that the biopsy may have underestimated.
Service de radiodiagnostic, institut Curie, hôpital René-Huguenin, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France. Electronic address: helene.berment@curie.net.
H
H
Berment
Service de pathologie, institut Curie, hôpital René-Huguenin, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France.
V
V
Becette
Service de radiodiagnostic, institut Curie, hôpital René-Huguenin, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France.
M
M
Mohallem
Service de radiodiagnostic, institut Curie, hôpital René-Huguenin, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France.
F
F
Ferreira
Service de radiodiagnostic, institut Curie, hôpital René-Huguenin, 35, rue Dailly, 92210 Saint-Cloud, France.
P
P
Chérel
D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography
Anatomopathology; Breast; Mammography