FINE-NEEDLE ASPIRATION BIOPSY IN PATIENTS WITH AUGMENTATION PROSTHESES AND A PALPABLE MASS

Six patients with augmentation prostheses presented with a firm, painl ess, breast mass that could not be visualized by mammography. One lesi on was demonstrated to be solid by ultrasound, and the remaining sonog rams were nondiagnostic. The lesions were indistinguishable from carci noma, by physical examination. All of the patients had fine needle asp iration biopsy despite close proximity to the implant. The patients al l had silicone granulomas related to silicone leakage. Our experience suggests that fine needle aspiration biopsy is a useful technique to e valuate palpable breast masses that are not visualized by mammography in patients with augmentation prostheses.