title: Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis Associated with Erythema Nodosum.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is an uncommon benign chronic inflammatory breast disease, and erythema nodosum (EN) is an extremely rare systemic manifestation of IGM. Here, we report a rare case of IGM accompanied by EN.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 32-year-old patient was admitted to our clinic with a history of a tender mass in the right breast. On physical examination, the right breast contained a hard, tender mass in the lower half with indrawing of the nipple. She had florid EN affecting both legs. She was evaluated with mammography, ultrasound, power Doppler ultrasound, non-enhancing magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, fine needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) and excisional biopsy. Time-intensity curves showed a type II pattern on dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI, which has an intermediate probability for malignancy. The FNAB reported a benign cytology suggestive of a granulomatous inflammation, which was also supported by the histopathological findings. A partial mastectomy was performed following medical treatment. There was no recurrence at 1-year follow-up.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  IGM should be considered in the differential diagnosis of EN. Although histopathological examination remains the only method for the definite diagnosis of IGM, MRI can be helpful in the diagnosis or differentiation of benign lesions from malignant ones.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Tuğçe Özlem
authors.initials: TÖ
authors.lastname: Kalaycı
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melike Bedel
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Koruyucu
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Melda
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Apaydın
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Demet
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Etit
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, İzmir Atatürk Training and Research Hospital, İzmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Makbule
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Varer
keywords: Breast cancer; erythema nodosum; fine needle aspiration biopsy; idiopathic granulomatous mastitis; magnetic resonance imaging; ultrasonography