Granulomatous changes around lobules and ducts in the breast tissue are rarely seen other than specific conditions. Idiopathic granulomatous mastitis is a benign, inflammatory breast disease of unknown etiology and clinically simulates breast carcinoma. In this study, 11 cases of idiopathic granulomatous mastitis (IGM), diagnosed between 1996-1999 at our department are presented with histopathologic findings. All of the patients were female, aged between 30-56 years. The clinical diagnosis was breast carcinoma in eight cases, breast abscess in two cases and fibroadenoma in one case. The mammographic findings were strongly suspicious for carcinoma. Histopathologically, various granulomas were seen in the breast lobules. The granulomas were composed of varying numbers of multinucleated foreign-body giant cells, epithelioid and foamy histiocytes, plasma cells, lymphocytes, and, even neutrophils and eosinophils. IGM is a rare inflammatory breast disease of unknown etiology. Since the clinical, mammographic and cytopathologic manifestations are similar to those of breast carcinoma, this condition must be keept in mind in differential diagnosis.
Key words: Breast, Mastitis, Idiopathic Granulomatous, Histopathology.
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