Intracapsular breast implant rupture

Case contributed by Roberto Schubert
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Status post reconstructive surgery with a silicon implant after mastectomy for breast cancer. MRI was prescribed to rule out secondary cancer of the contralateral breast.

Patient Data

Age: 55 years
Gender: Female

Note: This case has been tagged as "legacy" as it no longer meets image preparation and/or other case publication guidelines.

Water droplets within the silicone phase leading to chemical shift artifacts are indicative of a silicone implant rupture. This has been termed the salad oil sign. However, a few droplets alone do not confirm rupture. In this case, there is also detachment of the implant shell from the fibrous capsule.

How to use cases

You can use Radiopaedia cases in a variety of ways to help you learn and teach.

Creating your own cases is easy.