Objective:

To investigate the imaging features of nodular fasciitis (NF) of the breast and improve the diagnostic accuracy.

Methods:

The preoperative imaging data of 10 patients with NF of the breast confirmed by pathology were retrospectively analyzed. 10 patients underwent ultrasound examination

5 patients underwent mammography examination and 3 patie

nts underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination.

Results:

⑴ Ultrasonography: all nodules were single. The maximum diameter of the nodule ranged from 0.5 to 4.8 cm

with an average of (1.71.3) cm. 6 cases were located in subcutaneous superficial fascial layer

3 in mammary glands and 1 in the pectoralis major muscle layer

and both grew horizontally. 8 nodules were homogeneous hypoechogenicity and 2 nodules were inhomogeneous. 8 cases had blurred boundary and 2 cases had clear boundary. All 10 nodules were no posterior echo attenuation

1 nodule had enhanced posterior echo

and 3 nodules had hyperechoic halo. Adler blood flow was grade 0 in 8 patients and grade 1 in 2 patients. ⑵ Mammography: 4 cases showed distorted local glandular structure with irregular patchy dense shadow

and 1 case had local skin thickening and depression. One case presented as a rounded nodular shadow in the superficial fascia layer. ⑶ MRI 2 cases were located in superficial fascial layer and 1 in gland. All 3 cases presented nodule shadow

2 cases had rough edges with burrs

1 case had clear edge

diffuse-weighted imaging (DWI) showed uneven high signal

apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) was 1.11-1.35 10

-3

mm

2

/s. At enhanced imaging

the early uneven enhancement was observed. The time-intensity curve (TIC) presented inflow-plateau type (type Ⅱ)

and skin thickened and depressed in 1 case.

Conclusion:

For the diagnosis of NF of the breast

ultrasound and MRI are better than mammography

which is helpful to display the characteristics of the lesion.