Use of Sonography in the Differential Diagnosis between Phylloides Tumor and Giant Fibroadenoma

Choi, Jong Oh; Kim, Jae Woon; Park, Won Kyu; Hwang, Mi Soo; Park, Bok Hwan

Abstract

Phylloides tumor is very similar to giant fibroadenoma in that they have benign appearance in breast radiologic image. Fibroadenoma has no malignant potential, but phylloides tumor is locally recurrent, invasive and may occasionally metastasize. It thus appears that evaluation of the differential point of the two tumor groups by radiologic study is very important. We retrospectively compared sonographic find;.ngs of 6 cases of phylloides tumor with those of 4 cases of fibroadenoma, which proved pathologically in Ye mgnam University Hospital from 1984 to 1986. The mean age of the patients were 31.8 years old(from 14 to 41 years old) in phylloides tumor and 28.8 years old (from 17 to 40 years old) in giant fibroadenoma, respectively. The viewpoints of this analysis were size, shape and contour of the masses, internal echo pattern, posterior enhancement, and especially the existence of peripheral cyst or septal band echo. We found that diffenentiation of these two tumors by sonography was difficult. But peripheral cyst was found only in phylloides tumor and septal band echo was found largely in giant fibroadenoma. Although the existence of peripheral cyst or septal band echo in the breast mass was not pathognomonic findings, we suggest that the existence of septal band echo is preferential finding to fibroadenoma, and peripheral cyst is preferential finding to phylloides tumor.