Gynecomastia: Mammographic and ultrasonographic findings

Abstract

The study is designed to discus and compare mammographic and ultrasonographic views of fibroglandular patterns in different types of gynecomastia. We evaluated 118 breasts of 77 male with gynecomastia between April 1994 and March 2002. We grouped gynecomastia patterns in mammography according to fibroglandular distribution and classified them as dendritic, nodular, nodular-dendritic. We correlated and discussed mammographic and ultrasonographic characteristics of these gynecomastia patterns. Gynecomastia type was dendritic in 35 (30%), nodular in 43 (%36) and the remaining 40 (34%) were nodular-dendritic. Ultrasonographic findings in 28 (80%) of dendritic, 20 (47%) of nodular-dendritic, 6 (15%) of nodular types showed hyperechoic fibroglandular tissue, but in 7 (20%) of dendritic, 23 (53%) of nodular-dendritic, 34 (85%) of nodular types showed subareolar triangular or nodular sonolucency. Density and diffuseness of fibroglandular elements on mammograms determine ultrasonographic findings. Ultrasonographic diagnosis is less certain In those patients with subareolar sonolucency. When diffusely scattered fibroglandular elements on mammograms and/or hyperechoic sonographic views were seen. diagnosis of gynecomastia would be much more easy. It is apparent that combination of mammography with ultrasonography and careful attention to subtle changes on both modalities will improve diagnostic accuracy.