MANAGEMENT PROTOCOLS FOR BREAST LESIONS-MASSES

The management protocols for breast lesions or masses are now well standardized. In this chapter,
they have been placed in a flow chart format. The following protocols are based on published
practice guidelines. However, they have been modified to fit our clinical practice.A glossary of used
terms has been defined to further standardized these protocols. They are as follows:

GLOSSARY OF TERMS AND DEFINITIONS

 Palpable Lesions: Lesions palpable on physical examination

 Non Palpable Lesions: They usually are mammographically or sonographic lesions. They can
be microcalcification, masses, spiculated masses, architectural distorsion, nodules, etc.
 Concordance: All diagnostic modalities all together support the potential diagnosis.
 Stable Mammographic Lesion: Lesion previously identified on an imaging modality of same
size and contour.
 Unstable Lesion: Lesion previously identified on an imaging modality with marked change.
 Dominant Mass: A palpable breast mass with defined borders or margins.
 Non-Dominant Mass: A palpable mass, thickening of the breast parenchyma with undefined
borders.