MRI features of breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma

Br J Radiol. 2021 Sep 1;94(1125):20210093. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20210093. Epub 2021 May 21.

Abstract

Breast implant-associated anaplastic large cell lymphoma (BIA-ALCL) is a rare and newly recognized subtype of T cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHLs) associated with breast implants.The mechanism involved in the development of this kind of lymphoma is still uncertain.BIA-ALCL is generally an indolent disease localized to the breast implant and its capsule and effectively treated with capsulectomy alone without chemotherapy.Clinically, BIA-ALCL may typically present a sudden-onset breast-swelling secondary to periimplant effusion. The minority of BIA-ALCL patients present a more aggressive mass-forming subtype, for which systemic therapy is mandatory.Despite the number of cases has recently increased, BIA-ALCL remains a rare disease described mainly in several case reports and small case series.Breast imaging, including mammography, ultrasound and breast MRI are routinely used in the screening of breast cancer; however, guidelines for the imaging and pathological diagnosis of this disease have only recently been proposed and included in the 2019 National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) consensus guidelines for BIA-ALCL.The main purpose of this pictorial is to illustrate the MRI signs of BIA-ALCL and correlate them with the corresponding pathology features in order to improve the knowledge of the principals MRI features of this type of lymphoma.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Breast / diagnostic imaging
  • Breast Implants / adverse effects*
  • Breast Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Breast Neoplasms / etiology*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lymphoma, Large-Cell, Anaplastic / etiology*
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging / methods*