Linguine sign

Case contributed by Frank Gaillard
Diagnosis certain
ct

Irregular fibrous scar around implants in both breasts that have ruptured and collapsed -  the linguine sign.

Case Discussion

After implantation of a silicone or saline breast implant, a fibrous capsule (scar) forms around the implant shell. In an intracapsular rupture the contents of the implant are contained by the fibrous scar while the shell appears as a group of wavy lines. This has been termed the “Linguine sign” and has been most commonly described with MR imaging. Here, the same findings are seen on CT imaging in a patient with bilateral ruptured saline implants. 

Credit Dr Evan Stein

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