Fatty tissue breast lesions

Abstract

Hamartoma, lipoma and fat necrosis are benign fatty tissue lesions that may present as breast lumps. The mammographic appearance may be distinctive allowing imaging diagnosis without biopsy. The characteristic feature of hamartoma is that of a compressible mass containing radiolucent fat interchanged with dense fibrous connective tissue surrounded by a thin radioopaque pseudocapsule. Lipomas are radiolucent with well-defined thin smooth capsule. Twenty-seven percent of fat necrosis appears as discrete round or oval radiolucent oil cyst with thin capsule and egg-shell calcification.