There is a public misconception that screening mammography detects all breast malignancies. The objective of this pictorial essay is to review classic mammographic features of malignancy that, if missed, could potentially result in malpractice litigation. By identifying radiologic themes, we attempt to improve awareness about the imaging characteristics of a variety of subtle malignancies.
MajidA.S.Shaw de ParedesE.DohertyR.D.Missed breast carcinoma: pitfalls and pearlsRadiographics2003; 23:881–895.
2.
BerlinL.Malpractice and breast cancer: perceptions versus realityAJR Am J Roentgenol2009; 92:334–336.
3.
KopansD.B.Mammography screening is saving thousands of lives, but will it survive medical malpracticeRadiology2004; 230:20–24.
4.
IkedaD.M.BirdwellR.L.O'ShaughnessyK.F.Analysis of 172 subtle findings on prior normal mammograms in women with breast cancer detected at follow-up screeningRadiology2003; 226:494–503.
5.
HarveyJ.A.NicholsonB.T.CohenM.A.Finding early invasive breast cancers: a practical approachRadiology2008; 248:61–76.
6.
LeungJ.W.SicklesE.A.Developing asymmetry identified on mammography: correlation with imaging outcome and pathologic findingsAJR Am J Roentgenol2007; 188:667–675.
7.
FrankelS.D.SicklesE.A.CurpenB.N.Initial versus subsequent screening mammography: comparison of findings and their prognostic significanceAJR Am J Roentgenol1995; 164:1107–1109.
8.
CallawayM.P.BoggisC.R.M.AstleyS.A.The influences of previous films on screening mammographic interpretation and detection of breast carcinomaClin Radiol1997; 52:527–529.
9.
BurnsideE.S.SicklesE.A.SohlichR.E.Differential value of comparison with previous examinations in diagnostic versus screening mammographyAJR Am J Roentgenol2002; 179:1173–1177.
10.
SamardarP.Shaw de ParedesE.GrimesM.M.Focal asymmetric densities seen at mammography: US and pathologic correlationRadiographics2002; 22:19–33.
11.
BakerJ.A.RosenE.L.LoJ.Y.Computer-aided detection (CAD) in screening mammography: sensitivity of commercial CAD systems for detecting architectural distortionAJR Am J Roentgenol2003; 181:1083–1088.
12.
HarveyJ.A.Unusual breast cancers: useful clues to expanding the differential diagnosisRadiology2007; 242:683–694.
13.
CyrlakD.CarpenterP.M.Breast imaging case of the dayRadiographics1999; 19:S73–S79.
14.
MeyerJ.E.FerraroF.A.FrennaT.H.Mammographic appearance of normal intramammary lymph nodes in an atypical locationAJR Am J Roentgenol1993; 161:779–780.
15.
HarveyJ.A.FechnerR.E.MooreM.M.Apparent ipsilateral decrease in breast size at mammography: a sign of infiltrating lobular carcinomaRadiology2000; 214:883–889.
16.
JafriN.F.SlanetzP.J.The shrinking breast: an unusual mammographic finding of invasive lobular carcinomaRadiology Case Reports2200794
17.
KimM.J.KimE.K.LeeJ.Y.Breast cancer from the excisional scar of a benign massKorean J Radiol2007; 8:254–257.
18.
BerlinL.Fear of cancerAJR Am J Roentgenol2004; 183:267–272.
