Acute inflammation of the breast--the role of breast ultrasound in diagnosis and management.

Twenty female patients aged between 24 and 69 years were referred for breast ultrasound (US) examination between June 1989 and June 1990, with clinical suspicion of a breast abscess. Six were currently lactating. Initial US examination confirmed the presence of an abscess collection in nine out of 20 patients. Seven of these subsequently had surgical incision and drainage. Two settled on medical treatment. No abscess was detected on initial US examination in the remaining 11 patients who were treated conservatively with oral antibiotics. One patient, who had markedly dilated ducts on her initial US examination, remained symptomatic. Follow-up US demonstrated a small fluid collection, which within 7 days developed into a large multiloculated abscess requiring surgical drainage. We feel that US is very useful in accurately demonstrating the presence or absence of an abscess collection in the acutely inflamed breast.