title: Biopsy versus conservative management of sonographically benign-appearing solid breast masses in adolescents.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine whether the size of palpable solid breast masses in adolescents at initial sonography and their growth at follow-up sonography could be used to decide between conservative management and tissue biopsy.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 37 adolescent female patients with 45 palpable benign-appearing solid breast masses on initial sonography. They were grouped as follows: group I, masses undergoing follow-up sonography with subsequent biopsy (n = 9); group II, masses undergoing biopsy without follow-up sonography (n = 13); and group III, masses undergoing follow-up sonography without biopsy (n = 23). The largest dimension, volume, volume change per month, and change in the sonographic appearance were analyzed to predict the need for biopsy. A combination of a largest dimension greater than 3 cm and volume change per month greater than 16% was used to assess the need for biopsy. Sonograms of 22 masses were correlated with histopathologic diagnoses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  None of the masses that underwent follow-up sonography showed changes in their sonographic appearance. All masses that underwent biopsy were benign on histopathologic analysis. There was no significant difference in the largest dimension among the groups at initial sonography or between groups I and III at follow-up sonography. The volume change was smaller for fibroadenomas (n = 7; mean, 22.67%) than benign phyllodes tumors (n = 2; mean, 45.30%) in group I, but the difference was not significant (P = .384). However, the volume change for groups I and III showed a significant difference (P = .026). Neither size greater than 3 cm nor volume change greater than 16% predicted pathologic outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  If the combined criteria for assessing benignity of palpable breast masses had been used, biopsy could have been reduced by 89% in group I and deemed not necessary in 96% of group III breast masses.
authors: Department of Radiology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois USA (A.J., A.V., K.W., G.O.); and Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan USA (P.S.) anugayathri@gmail.com.
authors: Anugayathri
authors: A
authors: Jawahar
authors: Department of Radiology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois USA (A.J., A.V., K.W., G.O.); and Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan USA (P.S.).
authors: Aruna
authors: A
authors: Vade
authors: Department of Radiology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois USA (A.J., A.V., K.W., G.O.); and Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan USA (P.S.).
authors: Kathleen
authors: K
authors: Ward
authors: Department of Radiology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois USA (A.J., A.V., K.W., G.O.); and Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan USA (P.S.).
authors: Gokcan
authors: G
authors: Okur
authors: Department of Radiology, Loyola University Medical Center, Maywood, Illinois USA (A.J., A.V., K.W., G.O.); and Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Oakland University, Rochester, Michigan USA (P.S.).
authors: Perla
authors: P
authors: Subbaiah
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001706:Biopsy; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000628:therapy; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010173:Palpation; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary
keywords: adolescent breast masses; benign phyllodes tumor; benign solid breast mass; breast ultrasound; fibroadenoma; tissue biopsy