Hydatid cyst of the breast: case report

The hydatid cyst of the breast is a rare pathology even in countries endemic to tuberculosis, however there remains a differential diagnosis evoked in front of any breast tumor. The clinic, mammography and ultrasound sometimes allow us to suspect the hydatid nature of the lesion. The definitive diagnosis remains histological and the treatment is always surgical. From one case, we recall the important role that cytology can play in preoparatory diagnosis.

We report an observation of 59-year-old patient who lives in a tuberculosis endemic area of morocoo. the patient presented to our institute with palpable nodule in the right breast associated with pain of long duration. Clinical examination shows 2 masses occuping the entire upper outer quadrant of the right breast. Radiological explorations (mammography + ultrasound) objectified: A voluminous opacity of the QSE of the right breast corresponding on ultrasound to two cystic with anechoic content. the first classified ACR2 BIRADS. the second has ultimately echogenic content with a sloping portion producing the appearance of pseudo vegetation,classified ACR3 BIRADS. A fine needle aspiration of the cyst only showed the presence of altered polynuclear, without evidence of tumor cells. Treatment consisted of surgical excision such as perikystectomy and pathology examination demonstrated breast hydatidosis.postoperative evolution was favourable. Patient was put on medical treatment based on albendazole immediately.The patient was monitored for one year without local or distant recurrences.

Although hydatid disease of the breast remains a rare localization of tuberculosis disease, it should nevertheless be considered as a differential diagnosis of breast tumors. Ultrasound, cytology and MRI play an important preoperative diagnostic role. Treatment is essentially based on surgical pericystectomy associated with medical treatment based on albendazole.