Review of axillary lesions, emphasising some distinctive imaging and pathology findings.
The axilla is often included on mammography, ultrasound (US), CT and MRI. Axillary masses can arise from any of the tissue components present in this region including breast parenchyma. Aetiologies include: lymphadenopathy due to inflammation, malignancy and degenerative causes; soft tissue tumours such as haemangioma, lymphangioma, peripheral nerve sheath tumours and lipomas; post-surgical complications such as seroma, lymphocoele and haematoma; lesions arising in accessory breast tissue such as fibroadenoma and carcinoma. Some of these entities have distinctive imaging appearances knowledge of which can be helpful in suggesting the correct diagnosis.
Flinders Medical Centre, Bedford Park, South Australia, Australia.
Amber
A
Gupta
Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Cecily
C
Metcalf
Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.|University of Western Australia, Crawley, Western Australia, Australia.
Donna
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-1481-1141
D
Taylor
D001365:Axilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008206:Lymphatic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*
axilla; imaging; mammography; pathology; ultrasound