Korean J Radiol.  2013 Jun;14(3):395-399. 10.3348/kjr.2013.14.3.395.

Primary Neuroendocrine Tumor of the Breast: Imaging Features

• Chang ED
• Kim MK
• Kim JS
• Whang IY

• KMID: 1705449
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2013.14.3.395

Abstract

Focal neuroendocrine differentiation can be found in diverse histological types of breast tumors. However, the term, neuroendocrine breast tumor, indicates the diffuse expression of neuroendocrine markers in more than 50% of the tumor cell population. The imaging features of neuroendocrine breast tumor have not been accurately described due to extreme rarity of this tumor type. We present a case of a pathologically confirmed, primary neuroendocrine breast tumor in a 42-year-old woman, with imaging findings difficult to be differentiated from that of invasive ductal carcinoma.

Keyword

Neuroendocrine tumor; Breast; Mammography; Sonography; Magnetic resonance

MeSH Terms

Adult
Breast Neoplasms/*diagnosis
Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast/*diagnosis
Carcinoma, Neuroendocrine/*diagnosis
Diagnosis, Differential
Diagnostic Imaging/*methods
Female
Humans
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Mammography
Ultrasonography, Mammary

Figure

• 

  Fig. 1 Neuroendocrine tumor of breast in 42-year-old female. A. Mammography shows high-density mass with ill defined margin in subareolar area of right breast. Enlarged axillary lymph node is noted in right mediolateral oblique view (arrow). B. Sonography reveals irregularly shaped, microlobulated marginated, heterogeneously echo-textured mass with posterior enhancement. C. Increased vascular flow is noted on color Doppler scan. D. There is enlarged lymph node with cortical thickening and loss of fatty hilum in right axilla. MRI of breast performed using 1.5T system. E. On non-fat-saturated T1 weighted sequences, mass shows heterogeneously low signal intensity. F. On non-fat-saturated T2 sequences, central portion of mass shows intermediate to high signal intensity (arrows). G. On post-contrast, subtraction image obtained two minutes after administration of gadolinium contrast (left) and kinetic curve (right) derived from signal intensity measurements in selected region within lesion (middle), there is rapid initial enhancement of peripheral portion as well as washout in delayed phase. H. Gross specimen shows fairly well-defined, but partially infiltrative, gray-white, solid mass. I. Large, mucoid, necrotic area with foamy macrophages is surrounded by tumor cells (arrows) (H&E, × 12.5). J. Neuroendocrine carcinoma shows diffuse, solid growth patterns with organoid, nesting, trabecular, rosette-like, and palisading features. K. Carcinoma cells are diffusely positive for synaptophysin.

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