title: Sparganosis of the breast and lower extremities: sonographic appearance.
abstract: Sparganosis is a rare parasitic infection caused by larvae of the genus Spirometra. It can involve any part of the human body and usually manifests as a mass in various locations. We report a case of recurrent sparganosis in the breast and lower extremities. Our patient had recurrent subcutaneous masses in her breast and lower leg that showed characteristic ultrasonographic imaging findings of serpentine, tubular structures with surrounding increased echogenicity. These imaging findings are well correlated with pathologic findings. Worms were identified in resected specimens confirming sparganosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Seung Joon
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sung Hee
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Min Jung
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Minju
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jung
authors.forename: Byong Ho
authors.initials: BH
authors.lastname: Ko
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001940:Breast / Q000469:parasitology*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000469:parasitology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D035002:Lower Extremity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000469:parasitology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D013031:Sparganosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000469:parasitology; D013146:Spirometra / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods*
keywords: breast; extremities; soft tissues; sparganosis; tapeworms; ultrasound