F G La Rosa1, S Nawaz. 1. Department of Pathology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, USA.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Although rare, intramammary lymph nodes can occur in any quadrant of the breast and display a variety of pathologic conditions. Intramammary lymph nodes may be detected by routine clinical examination, mammography or ultrasound or during gross surgical pathology examination of breast specimens. CASE: A 42-year-old, black woman, HIV-1 positive, presented with bilateral mirror-image breast masses. Fine needle aspiration cytology ruled out the presence of malignancy and confirmed the diagnosis of benign, reactive intramammary lymphadenopathy. CONCLUSION: Clinicians and pathologists should be alert to the existence and potential importance of intramammary lymph nodes in the differential diagnosis of a breast mass in HIV-1-positive patients.
BACKGROUND: Although rare, intramammary lymph nodes can occur in any quadrant of the breast and display a variety of pathologic conditions. Intramammary lymph nodes may be detected by routine clinical examination, mammography or ultrasound or during gross surgical pathology examination of breast specimens. CASE: A 42-year-old, black woman, HIV-1 positive, presented with bilateral mirror-image breast masses. Fine needle aspiration cytology ruled out the presence of malignancy and confirmed the diagnosis of benign, reactive intramammary lymphadenopathy. CONCLUSION: Clinicians and pathologists should be alert to the existence and potential importance of intramammary lymph nodes in the differential diagnosis of a breast mass in HIV-1-positivepatients.