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Abstract Inflammatory breast disorders include a wide array of underlying causes, ranging from common benign infection, noninfectious inflammation and inflammation resulting from underlying breast malignancy. Mastitis refers to inflammation of the breast parenchyma, often presenting with pain, heat and redness that may be a debilitating illness with prolonged morbidity. It may also present with a wide array of other nonspecific symptoms, which may lead to delayed diagnosis and inappropriate treatment. Because it is at times difficult to distinguish mastitis and breast cancer based on clinical features, awareness of detailed imaging features is crucial for better management of inflammatory breast disorders using selected cases with mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance images. Failure to respond to antibiotic therapy is usually an indication for a biopsy to rule out underlying malignancy. The breast is a superficial organ and often inflammation would involve the overlying skin. Features of cellulitis such as skin thickening and subcutaneous edema should be noted. Radiological imaging is more advantageous than clinical examination in evaluating skin thickening as it allows accurate delineation of its extent, measurement and comparison to surrounding skin and contralateral breast. Broadly, inflammatory disorders of the breast can be divided into three categories: infectious mastitis, non-infectious mastitis and mastitis related to underlying malignancy. Infectious mastitis encompasses breast-specific and nonspecific forms of infections whether primary or complicating already present breast pathologies. This form of mastitis is more common during the child-bearing period especially during lactation. Patients in this group usually present with fulminant inflammatory manifestations and are usually treated with antibiotics, hot fomentations, and various breast drainage procedures. Noninfectious forms of mastitis encompasses another group of aseptic or chemical inflammatory breast disorders that do not necessarily occur during lactation, and thus do not usually present with fulminant inflammatory signs and do not usually resolve with antibiotics. Microbial infection may trigger some forms as periductal mastitis or complicate others as diabetic mastopathy. Ultrasonography plays a specific role in diagnostic approach and management of inflammatory breast diseases. It is essential to discriminate benign from malignant etiologies as there are major differences in their prognosis and treatment options and the ultrasound is so helpful in this discrimination, the U/S also act as a guide for interventional procedures whenever necessary and should be used to monitor adequate management by short term follow up studies along the course of therapy. The aim of the current study was to discuss imaging findings in inflammatory breast disease by ultrasound. This was a prospective study which was carried out at Ain Shams university hospitals; the study was conducted on 100 women with inflammatory breast diseases referred to the radiology department and surgical outpatient’s clinics. |