Highlights
- •Malignancy is rarely a cause of breast symptoms in males.
- •Diagnostic breast imaging successfully detected all cases of malignancy, demonstrating both high sensitivity and specificity.
- •Breast imaging in symptomatic male patients can be useful to establish benign diagnoses and avert unnecessary biopsies.
Abstract
Purpose
To review the use of diagnostic breast imaging and outcomes for symptomatic male patients.
Methods
We retrospectively evaluated 122 males who underwent diagnostic imaging for breast
symptoms at our academic center.
Results
The majority (94%) of cases had negative or benign imaging, with gynecomastia being
the most common diagnosis (78%). There were two malignancies, both of which had positive
imaging. Fifteen patients underwent percutaneous biopsy, and over half (53%) were
palpation-guided biopsies initiated by the referring clinician despite negative imaging.
Diagnostic imaging demonstrated 100% sensitivity and 96% specificity for identifying
cancer.
Conclusions
Malignancy is rarely a cause of male breast symptoms. Diagnostic breast imaging is
useful to establish benignity and avert unnecessary biopsies.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: June 09, 2017
Accepted:
June 7,
2017
Received in revised form:
May 25,
2017
Received:
March 26,
2017
Identification
Copyright
© 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
