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You’ll see it when you know it: granulomatous mastitis

  • Pictorial Essay
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Emergency Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Granulomatous mastitis (GM) is an under-recognized and under-diagnosed disease. Patients with GM often present to the emergency room with a painful breast mass, nipple retraction, and skin changes. This pictorial essay will review the clinical presentation and imaging appearance of GM, BI-RADS reporting parameters, differential diagnoses, and diagnostic challenges posed by this disease. Early and accurate diagnosis is essential, as misdiagnosis can result in repeated core biopsies, leading to fistulae and sinus tract formation. A classic history and typical sonographic appearance allow the emergency radiologist to confidently make this diagnosis.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, University of Maryland Medical Center, 22 S. Greene St., Baltimore, MD, 21201, USA

    Elana Smith

  2. University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Dan A. Moore

  3. Department of Radiology, University of North Carolina School of Medicine, Chapel Hill, NC, USA

    Sheryl G. Jordan

Authors
  1. Elana Smith
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  2. Dan A. Moore
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  3. Sheryl G. Jordan
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Correspondence to Elana Smith.

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IRB approval from the University of North Carolina (ID/AIR 18–01,124: Assessing Patients with Breast Granulomatous Mastitis at UNC, Principal Investigator Sheryl Jordan, MD).

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Informed consent, including the use of photographs for educational purposes, was obtained from all individual participants included in this study.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Smith, E., Moore, D.A. & Jordan, S.G. You’ll see it when you know it: granulomatous mastitis. Emerg Radiol 28, 1213–1223 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-021-01931-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10140-021-01931-4

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