Radial Scar of the Breast

Radial scar (RS) is a well-recognized radiological and pathological benign breast entity with specific characteristics. Generally, the term RS is assigned to such lesions less than 1 cm in diameter, whilst those that are 1 cm or larger are described as complex sclerosing lesions.

Post-mortem studies in the past had revealed the common presence of these lesions in the population, particularly in association with benign breast disease. Despite this, it is only in recent years that the clinical relevance of these lesions has come into prominence, due to the advent of population-based mammographic screening. Whilst RS are ordinarily defined as benign lesions, there is a growing body of evidence which suggests that they show an association with higher risk lesions (atypia and/or malignant changes) and may even be an independent risk factor for the growth of carcinoma in breast tissue.

With this said, there is much conflicting evidence for such associations. Some studies have found that the presence of RS increases the risk of breast cancer, while other studies fail to bring out such an association. One explanation is that radial scars are typically found alongside other breast conditions, which may have resulted in these mixed and perhaps misleading findings. Thus, there existence of a causal relationship between RS and breast cancer is yet to be conclusively determined.

RS are not actually scars, but areas of hardened breast tissue which may distort the normal tissue structure. Most women do not notice any RS-associated symptoms such as palpable lesions, or skin changes (thickening and retraction), unlike in the case of a carcinoma. Due to this, the detection of RS is often an incidental finding during a routine mammogram or investigation for an unrelated breast condition.  About a fourth of RS may, however, be palpable.

Mammography may reveal typical though unspecific signs associated with RS. First, RS present as idiopathic and stellate (star-shaped) lesions which are apparently unrelated to surgery or trauma. Though their appearance may be similar to that of a carcinoma, they lack the characteristic dense centre. Instead, an RS shows central radiolucency, because of the fibroelastotic central zone. This tends to be a translucent, low-density area rather than a mass. In fact, the breast tissue beneath the lesion is nearly visible through the lesion which exhibits the same low density centrally and peripherally. This characteristic low central density is an important distinguishing factor between the RS and a carcinoma. The periphery of the lesion consists of long thin spicules (tubular structures) which radiate from the centre, and are in general longer and thinner than those associated with a carcinoma. Together, these characteristics give the lesion the appearance of a dark star.

Despite the fact that RS are generally considered benign lesions, they often present suspicious imaging features that mimic carcinoma. Furthermore, since RS can present with a variety of mammographic characteristics, a mammography should be considered rather as a pre-biopsy diagnostic tool. Detection of RS should be followed by the suggestion of an imaging-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) to exclude the possibility of malignancy. Once the biopsy sample has been examined by a pathologist, surgical excision of these lesions may be advised in order to exclude the possibility of a high-risk lesion (atypia or malignant) that was not detected by the procedure.

References

Further Reading

Last Updated: Jan 2, 2023

Afsaneh Khetrapal

Written by

Afsaneh Khetrapal

Afsaneh graduated from Warwick University with a First class honours degree in Biomedical science. During her time here her love for neuroscience and scientific journalism only grew and have now steered her into a career with the journal, Scientific Reports under Springer Nature. Of course, she isn’t always immersed in all things science and literary; her free time involves a lot of oil painting and beach-side walks too.

Citations

Please use one of the following formats to cite this article in your essay, paper or report:

  • APA

    Khetrapal, Afsaneh. (2023, January 02). Radial Scar of the Breast. News-Medical. Retrieved on January 02, 2024 from https://www.news-medical.net/health/Radial-Scar-of-the-Breast.aspx.

  • MLA

    Khetrapal, Afsaneh. "Radial Scar of the Breast". News-Medical. 02 January 2024. <https://www.news-medical.net/health/Radial-Scar-of-the-Breast.aspx>.

  • Chicago

    Khetrapal, Afsaneh. "Radial Scar of the Breast". News-Medical. https://www.news-medical.net/health/Radial-Scar-of-the-Breast.aspx. (accessed January 02, 2024).

  • Harvard

    Khetrapal, Afsaneh. 2023. Radial Scar of the Breast. News-Medical, viewed 02 January 2024, https://www.news-medical.net/health/Radial-Scar-of-the-Breast.aspx.

Comments

The opinions expressed here are the views of the writer and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of News Medical.
Post a new comment
Post
You might also like...
OHSU study sheds light on ubiquitin modification during bacterial infection