Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis: a new algorithm

Abstract

Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM) is a breast non-systemic and chronic inflammatory disease that mimics abscesses, mastitis or breast cancer of low incidence, with much controversy on its diagnosis and successful treatment. The aim of this study is to retrospectively associate in an integral manner, the clinical characteristics, and the radiologic findings in order to develop an algorithm to make diagnosis and treatment of this entity easy. A retrospective analysis was performed with 16 patients for whom histologically IGM diagnoses were confirmed and were treated in our center between January 2011 and December 2016. Clinical characteristics, radiological, and histological reports, as well as treatment regime and outcome were included in the analysis.Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is a breast-limited entity, with a chronic and generally benign course, with unknown etiology; but if not treated correctly there is a possibility of recurrence. Radiologic protocols are not sufficiently precise to establish a differential diagnosis, and while histopathological diagnosis is obligatory.Clinical treatment guides must be developed for which we strongly recommend the following diagnosis and treatment algorithm for patients with granulomatous mastitis.