What is mastitis?

• A. Breast inflammation
• B. Breast cancer
• C. Fibroadenoma
• D. Lipoma

Answer: (A)

Mastitis is inflammation of the breast tissue, most often due to infection during lactation but it can occur in non-lactating women as well. Clinically this presents with breast tenderness, redness, warmth, swelling, and sometimes fever or malaise. On ultrasound you may see edema causing diffuse or focal irregularity in the breast parenchyma, skin thickening, and increased blood flow with Doppler; a fluid collection may develop if an abscess forms.

This option is the best answer because it directly describes an inflammatory process of the breast. The other terms refer to solid mass lesions that are not inflammatory in nature: breast cancer is a malignant tumor; fibroadenoma is a benign, well-circumscribed solid lump; lipoma is a benign fatty tumor.