LUPUS: THE GREAT PRETENDER, BREAST MANIFESTATIONS OF SLE

Lupus mastitis is an infrequent sequela of the autoimmune disease Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) which can be confounding to both clinicians and diagnosticians due to its similar appearance to an infectious or even neoplastic process. This case demonstrates a patient who presented with a painful and edematous breast that was initially concerning for mastitis or underlying abscess on the initial clinical examination. After a trial of antibiotics, the patient's symptoms minimally approved with subsequent work up using mammogram and ultrasound concerning for a possible malignancy. Ultrasound guided needle and core biopsies eventually led to the diagnosis of lupus mastitis. This report discusses the clinical, radiological and histological presentation of lupus mastitis. This is importation for clinicians so they can have a better understanding of this unique presentation of SLE and can prevent unnecessary invasive procedures which may further increase inflammation involved with lupus mastitis. While SLE has a multitude of clinical presentations this case report demonstrates another unique way that SLE can be encountered.