Idiopathic Granulomatous Mastitis and its Mimics on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Pictorial Review of Cases from India

Abstract

Objectives: Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a rare inflammatory disease of the breast, which is benign but potentially morbid. Mammographic and sonographic findings have been well characterized, but magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings have been less thoroughly documented. The objective of this study was to demonstrate characteristic findings for IGM and its mimics via a retrospective review. Material and Methods: Breast MRI examinations performed at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital in New Delhi, India between 2014 and 2019 were retrospectively reviewed to identify cases in which a pattern suggestive of granulomatous mastitis was seen. Cases of known malignancy were excluded. Any available breast pathology results were then obtained, and cases with presumptive or definitive diagnoses were compiled for analysis. Results: Overall, cases identified with characteristic imaging findings and confirmed diagnosis included seven cases of IGM, four cases of invasive ductal carcinoma, two cases of tuberculous mastitis, one case of non- tuberculous infectious mastitis, one case of foreign body mastitis, and one case of eosinophilc mastitis. One case of IGM with masses rather than of non-mass enhancement was also identified. Conclusion: In our review, cases with clustered ring enhancement were found to have inflammatory, idiopathic, infectious and malignant etiologies. While, these etiologies can only be reliably differentiated on pathology, familiarity with the pattern and an awareness of the differential may lead to decreased morbidity due to delays in diagnosis.