Table 1 Management of hydatid cysts of the breast

Clinical findings

→Mammary nodule

→Other symptoms: pain, nipple discharge, fever

Differential diagnosis

→Cyst

→Fibroadenoma

→Phyllodes tumor

→Circumscribed carcinoma

Diagnostic methods

→Mammography

→Ultrasonography

→Anti-echinococcus serum immunoglobulin E

→Fine-needle aspiration cytology

Sonographic classification [5]

→Type 1: pure fluid collection

→Type 2: fluid collection with a split wall

→Type 3: fluid collection with septa

→Type 4: heterogeneous echo patterns

→Type 5: reflecting thick walls

→“congealed water sign” [6]

Fine-needle aspiration cytology findings

→Hooklets, laminated membrane and scolices

Therapeutic options

→Cystectomy

→Observation (in older patients or in high surgical risk)