What is mastitis referring to?
The term mastitis refers to an inflammatory process of the breast tissue. Mastitis may happen because of blocked milk duct or infection. Various symptoms can be present alone or in combination, including tenderness/pain, nipple abnormality, ill-defined palpable mass, redness, swelling, nipple discharge, fever, etc. The diagnosis is made on a clinical ground. Mammography and/or ultrasound do not add more information in most cases. Because the breast with mastitis is very tender, compression of the breast for mammography is difficult and the quality of the film is frequently poor. Imaging studies are still helpful if one wishes to rule out the existence of abnormalities or abscess.
