Iatrogenic issues in breast pathology

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Pathology
• Oncology

Background:

• Advanced breast imaging (digital mammography, 3D tomography, ultrasound, MRI) detects smaller, non-palpable lesions.
• Early detection allows for less invasive management, but requires precise lesion localization.
• Histologic changes in breast and lymph node tissue are increasingly observed due to these advancements.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the histologic changes in breast tissue and lymph nodes.
• To discuss the impact of modern breast imaging and lesion targeting techniques on pathology.
• To highlight changes in sentinel lymph nodes secondary to these procedures.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature on breast imaging and interventional techniques.
• Analysis of reported histologic alterations in breast tissue and lymph nodes.
• Focus on changes related to lesion marking and sampling.

Main Results:

• Modern imaging and targeting methods introduce novel histologic findings.
• Sentinel lymph nodes show particularly distinct changes.
• These changes can impact the interpretation of tissue samples.

Conclusions:

• Histologic changes are an expected consequence of advanced breast imaging and localization.
• Pathologists must be aware of these changes for accurate diagnosis.
• Understanding these alterations is crucial for effective breast cancer management.