Imaging of metastases from breast cancer to uncommon sites: a pictorial review

• Published in: Japanese journal of radiology Vol. 34; no. 6; pp. 400 - 408
• Main Authors: Toguchi, Masafumi, Matsuki, Mitsuru, Numoto, Isao, Tsurusaki, Masakatsu, Imaoka, Izumi, Ishii, Kazunari, Yamashita, Rikiya, Inada, Yuki, Monzawa, Shuichi, Kobayashi, Hisato, Murakami, Takamichi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Tokyo Springer Japan 01.06.2016; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Bronchial Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Bronchial Neoplasms - secondary; Diagnostic Imaging - methods; Endocrine Gland Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Endocrine Gland Neoplasms - secondary; Eye Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Eye Neoplasms - secondary; Female; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Gastrointestinal Neoplasms - secondary; Humans; Imaging; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neoplasm Metastasis - diagnostic imaging; Nuclear Medicine; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Peripheral Nervous System Neoplasms - secondary; Pictorial Essay; Radiology; Radiotherapy; Spinal Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Spinal Neoplasms - secondary; CT; Breast cancer; Metastasis; MRI
• ISSN: 1867-1071; 1867-108X
• DOI: 10.1007/s11604-016-0541-7

There are three types of breast cancer recurrence which can occur after initial treatment: local, regional, and distant. Distant metastases are more frequent than local and regional recurrences. It usually occurs several years after the primary breast cancer, although it is sometimes diagnosed at the same time as the primary breast cancer. Although the common distant metastases are bone, lung and liver, breast cancer has the potential to metastasize to almost any region of the body. Early detection and treatment of distant metastases improves the prognosis, therefore radiologists and clinicians should recognize the possibility of metastasis from breast cancer and grasp the imaging characteristics. In this report, we demonstrate the imaging characteristics of metastases from breast cancer to uncommon sites.