Breast tumor in 63-year old woman.

Received Accepted Med Ultrason 2010, Vol. 12, No 2, 167-168 Address for correspondence: Anca Ciurea Radiology Departament, Emergency County Hospital, Str Clinicilor Nr 1-3, 400006, Cluj-Napoca, Romania E-mail: [email protected] Clinical case: Female patient, 63-years old, was referred to our department for a slow growing tumor in her right breast. The tumor was discovered by the patient approximately 4 years ago and grew ever since. No previous examination was performed. Palpation of the breast revealed a palpable mass occupying the outer quadrants of the breast. The mass was lobulated, tender at palpation, with local redness and marked superficial blood supply, mobile on the chest wall (no invasion) (fig.1). The palpation of the axilla was negative, with no enlarged lymph nodes. Because of the breast tenderness and tumor volume, the mammography was impossible to perform as first imaging method. Ultrasonography evidenced a hypoechoic, lobulated mass, non-homogeneous, with multiple irregular anechoic areas (fig.2 a, b). The Doppler ultrasound revealed a hypervascular tumor (fig.3 a, b). There was no evidence on ultrasound of malignant lymph nodes in the axillary region. Fine needle aspiration biopsy with evidence of malignant cells was performed and the indication was surgical treatment with mastectomy and axillary dissection (fig.4).