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Updated: Jun 17, 2026

Tissue-simulating Phantoms for Assessing Potential Near-infrared Fluorescence Imaging Applications in Breast Cancer Surgery
Published on: September 19, 2014
Think of ink: Tattoo pigment masquerading as a breast mass
Sian Chin1, Marissa Cumper1,2, Anitha Thomas3,4
1Department of Radiology, Royal Perth Hospital, Perth, Western Australia, Australia.
Abstract:
Migration of tattoo pigment to axillary lymph nodes mimicking calcifications is a recognized phenomenon, however, pigment in an intra-mammary node masquerading as a breast mass is a rare complication of cosmetic tattoos. As the prevalence of tattooing increases among women presenting to Breastscreen, radiologists may expect to encounter this lesion mimicking a breast neoplasm. We present a 50-year-old female with extensive tattoos on her arms, chest wall and abdomen, recalled for a small calcified breast mass on her first screening mammogram. Tomosynthesis-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy demonstrated intra-mammary lymph node with abundant tattoo pigment.

