Unusual malignant breast lesions: imaging-pathological correlations

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Pathology
• Oncology

Background:

• Malignant breast lesions encompass a spectrum of histopathological subtypes.
• Accurate radiological identification of uncommon malignant breast entities is crucial for timely management.
• Well-differentiated invasive ductal carcinomas and other rare malignancies present diagnostic challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present common radiological and pathological findings in unusual malignant breast lesions.
• To illustrate the imaging characteristics of specific well-differentiated invasive ductal carcinoma subtypes.
• To describe atypical ultrasonographic features of breast plasmacytoma.

Main Methods:

• Pictorial essay format.
• Review of radiological findings (mammography and ultrasonography).
• Correlation with pathological diagnoses.

Main Results:

• Detailed radiological and pathological features of tubular, mucinous, papillary, and medullary carcinomas.
• Imaging and histopathological characteristics of metaplastic carcinoma.
• Unusual ultrasonographic appearances of breast metastases and plasmacytoma.

Conclusions:

• Recognition of characteristic imaging findings aids in diagnosing rare malignant breast lesions.
• Understanding the spectrum of appearances for these entities improves diagnostic accuracy.
• Radiological-pathological correlation is essential for managing unusual breast malignancies.