untitled


The patient, a 44-year-old woman

from Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital,

was a para 5 gravida 5 post-menopausal

woman, who had breastfed her children for

2 years in total. She was not on hormone

replacement therapy.

The patient was being treated for a

pseudotumour of the right orbit as the

computed tomography (CT) scan demon-

strated a large right retrobulbar mass, as

well as meningeal thickening. To ascertain

a primary cause for the above picture, a

mammogram (MMG) was done. The

MMG demonstrated extensive bilateral

patchy spiculated densities with associated

amorphous microcalcifications, and axil-

lary nodes (Figs 1 and 2).

Ultrasound (US) demonstrated ill-

defined hypoechoic areas with scattered

microcalcifications (Fig 3).

The patient had bilateral core biopsies

done. The histological finding was that of

bilateral invasive lobular carcinoma.

34 SA JOURNAL OF RADIOLOGY • December 2005

PICTORIAL INTERLUDE

Lobular carcinoma of the breast
– an unusual presentation

M Modi
MB BCh, FCRad(SA), MMed

Department of Radiology
Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital
University of the Witwatersrand

Johannesburg

Fig. 2b. Mammogram showing patchy spicu-
lated densities.

Fig. 2a. Mammogram showing microcalcifica-
tions.

Fig. 1a. Mammogram showing amorphous
microcalcifications.

Fig. 1b. Mammogram showing nodes, micro-
calcifications and patchy spiculated densities.

Fig. 3. Ultrasound scan - transverse
image of the right breast showing ill-
defined hypoechoic lesion and micro-
calcifications.

Case Report-Modi  11/25/05  12:32 PM  Page 34