Bilateral hydatid cyst of the breast: a case report and review of the literature

Hydatid cyst disease is a parasitic infestation caused by the tapeworm Echinococcus granulosus. The incidence of the disease is 1–200 cases per 100 000. The usual presentation is the formation of fluid-filled cysts in the liver or lungs and, less commonly, in the brain. The breast is a rare site of presentation for this disease. An isolated hydatid cyst in the breast is very rare, even in endemic regions, occurring in only 0.27% of all hydatid cases. Although these cases are very rare, they should be considered severe. A hydatid breast cyst may mimic a fibroadenoma, phyllodes tumor, chronic abscess, or even carcinoma. Therefore, a high incidence of misdiagnosis may occur. Preoperative diagnosis can be made using needle aspiration and imaging facilities such as breast ultrasonography, mammograms, and computerized topographic images. Nevertheless, in most cases, the final diagnosis cannot be made until the pathological report is obtained postsurgery. This paper reports the first case of a bilateral hydatid cyst of the breast that was diagnosed preoperatively by radiological facilities. We present the patient history, physical examination, and investigations, discuss the risk factors, and present our treatment plan.