Abstract
Conventional X-ray galactogram (CG) is an underutilized procedure in modern breast
imaging despite offering the highest spatial resolution among all modalities available
for imaging of the breast ducts. The superior diagnostic performance of CG as compared
to that of both conventional mammogram and high-resolution ultrasonography makes it
a valuable imaging modality for the evaluation of pathological nipple discharge (PND). In addition, CG should always be considered in women with bloody nipple discharge
but normal ultrasound and mammogram. CG also has an important role in the preoperative
localization of intraductal lesions. CG may be especially useful in resource-restricted
settings where breast magnetic resonance imaging is not readily available as it can
be easily performed at any mammography facility without the need for additional equipment.
In this article, we describe two cases of PND, one of benign and the other of malignant
etiology, to demonstrate the value of CG in these cases. We also review the current
literature and compare CG with other modalities used for imaging of ductal system
of the breast.
Keywords
Breast imaging - cancer - galactogram - mammography - nipple discharge
