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Post-surgical breast scar

Case contributed by Garth Kruger
Diagnosis probable

Presentation

This patient had a segmental resection upper outer quadrant left breast.

Patient Data

Age: Adult
Gender: Female
mammography

The arrows show a parenchymal distortion related to post-surgical change at the upper outer quadrant left breast.

The subtle distortion is better seen when comparing to the contralateral breast. This is 6 months post-surgery.

mammography

Two years after, the distortion is much more pronounced with expanded parenchymal distortion.

ultrasound

This is the appearance of the area 2.5 years after surgery.

Case Discussion

Post-surgical changes in the breast can initially change with time although rarely this pronounced. N.b. this process does not carry on indefinitely. If this scar was to change again, say,  after three years, it would be a red flag and full workup would be done.

I suspect the initial change in the scar has to do with fat necrosis relative to the surgery. 

As with most breast pathology, change with time helps you arrive at a diagnosis. Never miss the opportunity to look at previous studies or look at your tech sheet. The answer is often there.

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