Clustered microcysts on breast ultrasound benign, don't need biopsy

USA: Lesions characterized as clustered microcysts found on breast ultrasound demonstrate a very low risk of malignancy (can be classified as benign) and do not require a biopsy, a recent study in the journal Radiology has suggested. According to the study, such cysts can be safely tracked with imaging rather than biopsy.

Clustered microcysts are common, especially among perimenopausal women and are seen in about 6% of ultrasound examinations. Despite this, there is limited published data on appropriate management recommendations for clustered microcysts on breast images. Alyssa R. Goldbach, Division of Women's Imaging, Department of Radiology, Temple University Hospital, Philadelphia, PA, and colleagues, therefore, conducted this study to determine outcomes of lesions identified as clustered microcysts on breast US images to help guide appropriate management recommendations.

The study included 189 women (median age, 52 years) with 196 lesions classified as clustered microcysts on ultrasound images. The women were identified in women at two hospitals within one metropolitan health system from 2005 through 2015. 

If US-guided tissue sampling was performed, results were obtained from the pathology or cytology reports. If sampling was not performed, only lesions with at least 24 months of imaging follow-up or any imaging follow-up with interval resolution or decrease in size were included in the study.