Sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) are the first station of lymph nodes that extend from the breast tumor to the axillary lymphatic drainage. The pathological status of these LNs can predict that of the entire axillary lymph node. Therefore, the accurate identification of SLNs is necessary for sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) to replace axillary lymph node dissection (ALND). The quality of life and prognosis of breast cancer patients are related to proper surgical treatment after the precise identification of SLNs. Some of the SLN tracers that have been identified include radioisotope, nano-carbon, indocyanine green (ICG), and methylene blue (MB). However, these tracers have certain limitations, such as pigmentation, radiation dangers, and the requirement for costly detection equipment. Ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs) have good specificity and sensitivity, and thus can compensate for some shortcomings of the mentioned tracers. This technique is also being applied to SLNB in patients with breast cancer, and can even provide an initial judgment on SLN status. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has the advantages of high distinguishability, simple operation, no radiation harm, low cost, and accurate localization; therefore, it is expected to replace the traditional biopsy methods. In addition, it can significantly enhance the accuracy of SLN localization and shorten the operation time.
Humans ; Female ; Sentinel Lymph Node/pathology* ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology* ; Quality of Life ; Sentinel Lymph Node Biopsy/methods* ; Ultrasonography/methods* ; Lymph Nodes/surgery*

PURPOSE: Absorbable retaining thread (ART) needle localization utilizes a guiding needle with a thread; this technique was invented to reduce patient discomfort and wire migration. We investigated the feasibility of ultrasound (US)-guided ART needle localization for nonpalpable breast lesions. METHODS: ART needle localization was performed for 26 nonpalpable breast lesions in 26 patients who were scheduled to undergo surgical excision the day after localization. Seventeen breast lesions were initially diagnosed as invasive ductal carcinoma, six as ductal carcinomas in situ, and one as fibrocystic change. The other two cases without an initial pathologic diagnosis had suspicious US features, and excision was planned concomitantly with contralateral breast cancer surgery. The primary outcome was the technical success rate of ART needle localization confirmed by US immediately after the procedure, and the secondary outcomes were the percentage of clear margins on pathology and the complication rate of ART needle localization. RESULTS: The technical success rate of ART needle localization was 96.2% (25 of 26 patients), and the ART was located 1 cm away from the mass in one patient (3.8%). The lesions were successfully removed with clear margins in all 26 patients. No significant complications related to ART needle localization were observed. CONCLUSION: ART needle localization can be an alternative to wire needle localization for nonpalpable breast lesions.
Breast Neoplasms ; Breast ; Carcinoma, Ductal ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Needles ; Pathology ; Surgery, Computer-Assisted ; Ultrasonography

Adult ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; metabolism ; surgery ; Female ; Humans ; Nipples ; pathology ; surgery ; Ultrasonography ; methods

Charcoal can be used for preoperative localization of metastatic lymph nodes in the neck. Charcoal remains stable without causing foreign body reactions during as hort period. However, foreign body reactions may develop if charcoal is left in situ for more than 6 months. We reported a case of charcoal granuloma mimicking local recurrence on fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography and ultrasonography in a 47-year-old woman who had cervical lymph node dissection due to metastatic invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.
Breast Neoplasms/pathology/surgery/therapy ; Carcinoma/*pathology/surgery/therapy ; Cervix Uteri/pathology/ultrasonography ; Charcoal/toxicity ; Female ; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18/diagnostic use ; Granuloma/*diagnosis/pathology ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes/*surgery/ultrasonography ; Lymphatic Metastasis ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; Positron-Emission Tomography ; Radiopharmaceuticals/diagnostic use ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the retrieval rate and accuracy of ultrasound (US)-guided 14-G semi-automated core needle biopsy (CNB) for microcalcifications in the breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: US-guided 14-G semi-automated CNB procedures and specimen radiography were performed for 33 cases of suspicious microcalcifications apparent on sonography. The accuracy of 14-G semi-automated CNB and radiology-pathology concordance were analyzed and the microcalcification characteristics between groups with successful and failed retrieval were compared. RESULTS: Thirty lesions were successfully retrieved and the microcalcification retrieval rate was 90.9% (30/33). Thirty lesions were successfully retrieved. Twenty five were finally diagnosed as malignant (10 invasive ductal carcinoma, 15 ductal carcinoma in situ [DCIS]) and five as benign. After surgery and mammographic follow-up, the 25 malignant lesions comprised 12 invasive ductal carcinoma and 13 DCIS. Three lesions in the failed retrieval group (one DCIS and two benign) were finally diagnosed as two DCIS and one benign after surgery. The accuracy of 14-G semi-automated CNB was 90.9% (30/33) because of two DCIS underestimates and one false-negative diagnosis. The discordance rate was significantly higher in the failed retrieval group than in the successful retrieval group (66.7% vs. 6.7%; p < 0.05). Punctate calcifications were significantly more common in the failed retrieval group than in the successful retrieval group (66.7% vs. 3.7%; p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: US-guided 14-G semi-automated CNB could be a useful procedure for suspicious microcalcifications in the breast those are apparent on sonography.
Adult ; Aged ; Biopsy, Large-Core Needle/*methods/standards ; Breast/*pathology ; Breast Diseases/pathology/radiography ; Breast Neoplasms/*pathology/surgery/ultrasonography ; Calcinosis/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/*pathology/ultrasonography ; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating/*pathology/radiography ; Female ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; *Ultrasonography, Interventional/standards ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the upgrade rate and delayed false-negative results of percutaneous vacuum-assisted removal (VAR) and surgical excision in women with imaging-histologic discordance during ultrasound (US)-guided automated core needle biopsy (CNB) of the breast and to validate the role of VAR as a rebiopsy method for these discordant lesions. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Percutaneous US-guided 14-gauge CNB was performed on 7470 patients between August 2005 and December 2010. Our study population included 161 lesions in 152 patients who underwent subsequent rebiopsy due to imaging-histologic discordance. Rebiopsy was performed using VAR (n = 88) or surgical excision (n = 73). We investigated the upgrade rate immediately after rebiopsy and delayed false-negative results during at least 24 months of follow-up after rebiopsy. We also evaluated the clinicoradiological differences between VAR and surgical excision. RESULTS: Total upgrade to malignancy occurred in 13.7% (22/161) of lesions at rebiopsy including both VAR and surgical excision: 4.6% (4/88) of VAR cases (4/88) and 24.7% (18/73) of surgical excision cases (p < 0.001). Surgical excision was performed significantly more frequently in older patients and for larger-sized lesions than that of VAR, and a significant difference was detected between VAR and surgical excision in the Breast Imaging and Reporting and Data System category (p < 0.007). No delayed false-negative results were observed after VAR or surgical excision during the follow-up period. CONCLUSION: Long-term follow-up data showed no delayed cancer diagnoses after US-guided VAR in imaging-histologic discordant lesions of the breast, suggesting that VAR might be a rebiopsy method for these lesions.
Adult ; Age Factors ; Aged ; Biopsy, Needle ; Breast/*pathology/surgery ; Breast Neoplasms/pathology/surgery ; False Negative Reactions ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; *Mammography ; Middle Aged ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Vacuum ; Young Adult

Post-transplantation lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLDs) are a heterogeneous group of diseases that represent serious complications following immunosuppressive therapy for solid organ or hematopoietic-cell recipients. In contrast to B-cell PTLD, T-cell PTLD is less frequent and is not usually associated with Epstein Barr Virus infection. Moreover, to our knowledge, isolated T-cell PTLD involving the breast is extremely rare and this condition has never been reported previously in the literature. Herein, we report a rare case of isolated T-cell PTLD of the breast that occurred after a patient had been treated for allogeneic peripheral blood stem cell transplantation due to acute myeloblastic leukemia.
Allografts ; Axilla ; Breast Neoplasms/diagnosis/*etiology/immunology ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Fatal Outcome ; Female ; Humans ; Leukemia, Myeloid, Acute/surgery ; Lymph Nodes/pathology ; Lymphoma, T-Cell, Peripheral/*etiology/pathology/ultrasonography ; Peripheral Blood Stem Cell Transplantation/*adverse effects ; T-Lymphocytes/immunology/pathology ; Transplantation, Homologous ; Ultrasonography, Mammary/*methods ; Young Adult

Image-guided high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) has been used for more than ten years, primarily in the treatment of liver and prostate cancers. HIFU has the advantages of precise cancer ablation and excellent protection of healthy tissue. Breast cancer is a common cancer in women. HIFU therapy, in combination with other therapies, has the potential to improve both oncologic and cosmetic outcomes for breast cancer patients by providing a curative therapy that conserves mammary shape. Currently, HIFU therapy is not commonly used in breast cancer treatment, and efforts to promote the application of HIFU is expected. In this article, we compare different image-guided models for HIFU and reviewed the status, drawbacks, and potential of HIFU therapy for breast cancer.
Breast Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound Ablation ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; methods ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; methods

OBJECTIVE: To compare the efficacy and safety between mammotome minimally invasive operation and conventional open excision for benign breast tumor. METHODS: A computer-based online search of Medline, PubMed, Embase, Ovid, Cochrane Library, VIP, Wanfang, CNKI and Chinese Biological Medicine Database was performed, and conference references were manually searched. With the Cochrane Collaboration Guidelines, all randomized controlled trials comparing mammotome minimally invasive operation and conventional open excision were systematically reviewed. The Cochrane Collaboration's RevMan 5.0 software was used for data analysis. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies involving 5256 patients was included. Meta-analyses showed no significant difference in the size of tumor, postoperative hematomas, ecchymosis, ecchymoma and residual disease between mammotome minimally invasive operation and conventional open excision. Mammotome minimally invasive operation was superior to open excision as to the size of incision, intraoperative blood loss, surgical duration, healing time, size of scar, wound infection and breast deformation. CONCLUSION Mammotome minimally invasive surgery is an ideal method for benign breast tumor.
Adult ; Breast Diseases ; pathology ; surgery ; Breast Neoplasms ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Fibrocystic Breast Disease ; pathology ; surgery ; Humans ; Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures ; methods ; Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic ; Ultrasonography, Interventional ; Vacuum ; Young Adult

OBJECTIVEThe purpose of this study was to describe the X-ray features of the neuroendocrine carcinoma (NEC) of breast to raise the awareness for the disease.

METHODSThe mammography, sonography and clinicopathologic features in a total of 16 cases of pathologically proven breast neuroendocrine carcinoma in Fudan University Cancer Hospital were analyzed retrospectively.

RESULTSAll the 16 patients were women with a mean age of 67.3 years old (ranged from 45 to 75 years old). Twelve patients had palpable masses and the other four patients had outflow from the nipple. Pathological diagnosis included endocrine ductal carcinoma in situ (E-DCIS) in 4 cases, E-DCIS with microinvasion in 5, and invasive solid neuroendocrine carcinoma in 7. On mammography, 9 of 16 cases exhibited round or slightly lobulated masses. Five of the 16 cases exhibited irregular or asymmetric opacities. Two of the 16 cases had negative findings. The borders of the 14 masses detected on mammography were vague in 7, partly unclear in 3 and clear-cut in 4 cases. Malignant microcalcification was not found in all cases. The accuracy rates of preoperative qualitative diagnosis for NEC with mammography and sonography were 68.8% (11/16) and 81.3% (13/16), respectively. Given the application of combined mammography and sonography, the accuracy rates could be improved to 87.5% (14/16).

CONCLUSIONSA round mass and irregular or asymmetric opacities without malignant calcification are the most frequent appearances of mammography in neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast. Combination of mammography and sonography may be useful to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and early detection of neuroendocrine carcinoma of the breast.

Aged ; Breast Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; surgery ; Female ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Mammography ; methods ; Middle Aged ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography, Mammary ; methods