Free Silicone Injections
General Considerations
- Commonly
used for breast augmentation in the ‘50s and ‘60s
- It was
stopped because of safety concerns and it was ineffective
- Eventually,
banned by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 1992
- However,
it may still be found in older patients and immigrants, especially from
South America and Asia
- Complications
are common and include inflammation with
- Formation
of silicone granulomas
- Fibrosis
- Lymphadenopathy
Clinical Findings
- Silicone
granulomas are clinically palpable
- Diffuse
nodularity and hard lumps, making manual breast examination difficult
Imaging Findings
- On
mammography, free silicone demonstrates multiple, very dense and lobulated
masses throughout the breast with or without peripheral calcifications
- The
masses can cause distortion of the breast parenchyma and obscure
visualization of a small breast cancer
- Extremely
dense lymph nodes may also be present
- Sonographic
and MRI findings are similar to those of extracapsular implant ruptures
- But,
findings are scattered throughout the breasts without the presence of an
envelope or fibrous capsule
- MRI,
especially with fat and water suppression technique, will afford optimal
visualization of free silicone and should permit differentiation of free
silicone from a breast neoplasm
Free Silicone Injections,
Breast. Craniocaudad views of both breasts show innumerable very dense and
lobulated masses throughout both breasts
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