Superficial thrombophlebitis of the breast (Mondor's disease)

With breast imaging being increasingly the first investigation in the diagnosis of breast pathology, it is important for radiologists to be aware of the clinical and imaging characteristics of both malignant and benign breast lesions. Mondor's disease is a benign thrombophlebitis of the superficial veins of the breast, often extending to the chest wall, epigastrium or axilla, which has been demonstrated to have a rare association with underlying breast cancer. Mondor's disease was first described in 1869 but was named after the author of a series of 4 cases in 1939. Mondor's disease has only been reported once in the English-language imaging journals. We present a case of Mondor's disease with both the ultrasonographic and mammographic findings. (author)