Application of Breast Ultrasound Elastography to Differentiate Intracapsular Collection from Silicone-Induced Granuloma of Breast Implant Capsule Complementarily to Contrast-Enhanced Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Ultrasonic elastography for the prevention of breast implant rupture: Detection of an increase with stiffness over implantation time

Breast implants are widely used after breast cancer resection and must be changed regularly to avoid a rupture. To date, there are no quantitative criteria to help this decision. The mechanical evolution of the gels and membranes of the implants is still underinvestigated, although it can lead to early rupture. In this study, 35 breast explants having been implanted in patients for up to 17 years were characterized by ex vivo measurements of their mechanical properties. Using Acoustic Radiation Force Impulse (ARFI) ultrasound elastography, an imaging method for non-destructive mechanical characterization, an increase in the stiffness of the explants has been observed. This increase was correlated with the implantation duration, primarily after 8 years of implantation. With an increase of the shear modulus of up to a factor of nearly 3, the loss of flexibility of the implants is likely to lead to a significant increase of their risk of rupture. A complementary analysis of the gel from the explants by mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) and liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution mass spectrometry (LC-HRMS) confirms the presence of metabolites of cholesterol originating from the breast tissues, which most likely crossed the membrane of the implants and most likely degrades the gel. By observing the consequences of the physical-chemical mechanisms at work within patients, this study shows that ultrasound elastography could be used in vivoas a quantitative indicator of the risk of breast implant rupture and help diagnose their replacement.

Fundamentals of Breast Implant Illness and Device Imaging

The past six decades of silicone breast implant history encompass manufacturing secrecy, regulatory laxity, inadequate informed consent, clever advertising, overly simplistic research methodology, diverse and controversial opinions, changing social patterns, safety issues, information ambiguity, speculation, and deception. This review addresses the verifiable clinical, radiological, and pathological aspects of these devices, particularly with regard to silicone bleeding. This information can favorably assist practitioners and radiologists facing diagnostic challenges encountered in patients with silicone breast implants.

Ultrasound elastography for the detection of capsular fibrosis in breast implants: First results

BACKGROUND

Capsular contractures around breast implants usually develop leading to pain and aesthetically inadequate results and ultimately often requires the replacement of the implants. Textured silicone implants are the most commonly placed implant, but polyurethane-coated implants are increasingly being used in an attempt to ameliorate the long-term complications associated with implant insertion.

AIM

Capsular contracture is traditionally classified using the Baker scale, a subjective classification system based upon clinical findings. Aim of this study was to evaluate the association between pain due capsular contraction, Baker score and different techniques of US elastography.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Patients were contacted who had undergone an implant replacement due to capsular contracture. Inclusion criterion was the re-implantation of a PU-coated implant. In the third year after changing the implant a follow-up examination was performed in 16 patients with 23 implants. A conventional examination with anamnesis, tactile and visual findings to obtain a Baker score, and ultrasound examinations including shear wave elastography, ARFI and compound elastography were performed. In addition, pain was evaluated using a visual analogue scale (VAS).

RESULTS

The pain data showed a significant improvement (before implant exchange: 4.1±2.8 score points) with significance in favor of the current state (1.7±1.0 pain score points; p = 0.002). All patients suffered from less or no pain three years after exchange of the implant. Pain values and elastography (ARFI values) correlated well (r = 0,873), with increasing Baker score the ARFI values increased. US elastography evaluations can locally determine tissue density but correlate only to a limited extent with the test findings according to Baker. US elastography values of mammary gland tissue without implant did not differ from mammary gland tissue around implants.

CONCLUSION

Preoperative Baker scores prior to exchange and the current Baker scores at the follow-up showed significantly lower score points three years after exchange of the implants. Ultrasound elastography seems to be an objective classification of capsular fibrosis. These first results motivate to initiate a prospective multicenter investigation.

Silicone-Induced Granuloma of Breast Implant Capsule (SIGBIC): Histopathology and Radiological Correlation

Currently, attention has been given to complications related to breast implants, especially due to the presence of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) related to silicone implants. Many manuscripts attempt to associate silicone presence with clinical complaints reported by patients, while others try to demonstrate the mechanisms of silicone bleeding by permeability loss of breast implant surfaces. There also are reports of foreign body type reactions from implant fibrous capsule to silicone corpuscles. However, there seems to be no study that correlates the clinical, radiological, and histological correlations of these lesions. The objective of this review is to correlate radiological findings of silicone-induced granuloma of breast implant capsule (SIGBIC) from breast MRI (BMRI) scans and complementary findings of ultrasound (US) and positron emission tomography (PET) scan, and its histology originated from surgical breast implant capsulectomy. To make this correlation possible, we divided SIGBIC into three radiological findings: (1) intracapsular SIGBIC, (2) SIGBIC with extracapsular extension, and (3) mixed SIGBIC associated with seroma. Our experience demonstrates histological-radiological correlation in SIGBIC diagnosis. Knowledge of these findings may demonstrate its real importance in terms of public health and patient management. We believe that SIGBIC is currently underdiagnosed by lack of training, guidance, and management in our clinical practice.