pathology
Last reviewed 01/2018
A variety of changes may be noted including:
- cysts:
- microcysts - less than 1 cm in diameter
- macrocysts - up to 5 cm in diameter; includes the blue domed cysts of Bloodgood which unopened, appear brown to blue due to the contained fluid
- apocrine metaplasia - the normal ductular epithelium that lines the cyst proliferates to resemble that of apocrine sweat glands
- fibrosis - proliferation of fibrous tissue without epithelial change
- adenosis:
- simple adenosis - hyperplastic proliferation of lobular acini / ductules
- sclerosing adenosis - proliferation of fibrous tissue accompanies that of the acini, splitting them apart