Inflammatory breast cancer: CT evaluation

Eleven patients with inflammatory breast carcinoma were examined by computed tomography (CT) prior to treatment with radiation and chemotherapy. Determination was made of skin thickening of the affected breast, presence of diffuse breast tumor infiltration or mass, calcification, adenopathy; and metastases. All affected breasts demonstrated increased skin thickness relative to the nonaffected breast, ranging from 0.7 cm-3 cm. Each could further be characterized as having diffuse infiltration of the breast tissue (5), a focal mass lesion (4), or a combination of mass with associated infiltration (2). Two of the breast masses showed diffuse calcification. Only one patient had disease confined to breast tissue at the time of study. Nine patients presented with adenopathy; 7 axillary, 3 internal mammary, 2 supraclavicular, and 1 hilar. Bilateral adenopathy was noted in two patients. Distant metastases to lung, bone, or stomach were observed in 7 of 11 patients. Distant metastases and degree of adenopathy was not related to skin thickness, degree of tumor infiltration, or presence of a defined mass. Inflammatory breast cancer presents with a spectrum of computed tomography appearances. Computed tomography aids in the assessment of local disease, adenopathy, and distant metastases.