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. 2021 Nov 29;21(87):e361-e364.
doi: 10.15557/JoU.2021.0060. Epub 2021 Dec 15.

Axillary adenopathy after COVID-19 vaccine in patients undergoing breast ultrasound

Sara De Giorgis  1 , Alessandro Garlaschi  2 , Nicole Brunetti  1 , Simona Tosto  2 , Giuseppe Rescinito  2 , Francesco Monetti  2 , Claudio Oddone  2 , Barbara Massa  3 , Francesca Pitto  3 , Massimo Calabrese  2 , Alberto Stefano Tagliafico  1   2
Affiliations

Axillary adenopathy after COVID-19 vaccine in patients undergoing breast ultrasound

Sara De Giorgis et al. J Ultrason. .

Abstract

After COVID-19 vaccination, a spectrum of axillary lymphadenopathy were observed in patients undergoing routine breast ultrasound. Malignancy remains the most serious differential in cases of unilateral axillary adenopathy. Knowledge of axillary ultrasound findings after COVID-19 vaccination is essential to prevent unnecessary biopsy or change in therapy in oncological patients. From March to May 2021, 10 female patients underwent breast ultrasound in our Department for the evaluation of axillary lumps. All the patients received their first or second dose of COVID-19 vaccine 20-30 days before the exam in the same extremity of the ultrasound evaluation where lymphadenopathy was found. Five patients had a personal history of previous breast cancer, and the radiologist decided to perform a core biopsy (the histology was negative for malignancy). The other five patients with no personal history of cancer underwent ultrasound and returned after a short-term follow-up. Regression of the enlarged lymph nodes was found.

Keywords: COVID-19; breast; lymphadenopathy; ultrasound; vaccine.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest Authors do not report any financial or personal connections with other persons or organizations, which might negatively affect the contents of this publication and/or claim authorship rights to this publication.

Figures

Fig. 1.
Fig. 1.
Example of vaccine-associated adenopathy in a 66-year-old female patient undergoing breast ultrasound for routine breast imaging with history of breast cancer in the left breast. A. US in the left shoulder showing left axillary adenopathy (22 mm) with fatty hilum and thickened cortex. B. A core biopsy was performed. C. The histology was negative for lymph node malignancy (normal lymphocytes and histiocytes in hematoxylin-eosin staining)
Fig. 2.
Fig. 2.
Example of vaccine-associated adenopathy in a 29-year-old female undergoing breast ultrasound for routine breast imaging due to increased breast density. A. US in the left shoulder showing asymmetric left axillary adenopathy (18 mm) with preserved fatty hilum but irregular cortex. B. Four-week follow-up: axillary sonography of the same patient demonstrates decreased size (13 cm) and some residual cortical thickening. C. Eight-week follow-up: axillary ultrasound shows normal sized lymph node
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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