BREAST IMPLANTS, COMMON COMPLICATIONS, AND CONCURRENT BREAST DISEASE

Recent concern regarding breast implants has emphasized the special imaging needs of the approximately 2 million American women who currently have prosthetic breast implants, including silicone gel, silicone gel with a textured silicone coating, saline, biocompatible gel, polyurethane-coated, double-lumen, and tissue expanders. Both palpable and nonpalpable breast lesions can occur in patients with implants, and these lesions must be evaluated in the same manner as in patients without implants, which presents a challenge for the mammographer. Not only is the breast tissue of a patient with implants more difficult to image, but the patient may have complications from the implants. The major complications of their use involve hematoma in the early postoperative period, infection, capsule contracture, rupture, and silicone granulomas. Familiarity with the more common types of implants, the possible complications of their use, and concurrent breast disease may help improve diagnosis in these patients.