Two Oil Cysts

Clinical History: A female in her early 30s presented to the women’s imaging department. The patient has a history of a bilateral breast lift and breast implants. She is not experiencing any pain but both her and her doctor are able to palpate two hard, small, mobile, areas on the lower outer quadrant of her right breast. She has no family history of breast cancer.

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Figure 1

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Figure 2

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Multiple images were taken in several views of both breasts. Two well defined, round, radiopaque areas with a calcified capsule were shown on the lower outer quadrant of the patient’s right breast.

Figure 3

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Figure 4

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Figure 5

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Figure 6

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Figure 7

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Figure 8

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Figure 9

The ultrasound was then performed and the findings on the mammogram correlated to two small anechoic, well-defined cystic structures around the 9:00 position on the right breast. One is slightly larger than the other, measuring at 1cm. The smaller measured 5mm. They did not display any internal vascularity.

Diagnosis: Two oil cysts on the right breast in the lower outer quadrant

The patient was advised that they should be left in the breast at the risk of causing more by further trauma to the breast. Oil cysts are a benign lesion that occurs in the breast as a result of some sort of trauma. That trauma can range from a biopsy, to an actual injury to the breast. In this patient’s case the breast lift is the most likely cause of the cysts. It is not recommended to remove them as that would only be another source of trauma and could simply result in more forming. They are not malignant, and usually not painful to the patient. There is no need to biopsy when they are the only finding.