Evaluating silicone breast implant rupture with photon-counting CT and volumetric silicone maps

Abstract

We present a case of an 81-year-old woman who presented to the emergency department with bleeding from a right breast wound. The patient had prior imaging suggestive of bilateral silicone implant rupture and a history of low tolerance for MRI scans. Ultrasound imaging in the emergency setting showed findings in the right breast suggestive of a fistula with free silicone and hematoma. A subsequent photon-counting CT scan with custom silicone-specific segmentation allowed differentiation of silicone from hematoma, provided anatomic assessment and location of the fistula, and revealed bilateral silicone-induced lymphadenopathy.

Keywords

• Photon-counting CT
• Silicone breast implants
• Emergency department
• Extracapsular rupture
• Lymphadenopathy
• Extracorporeal extrusion