Debris in cysts in breast

[rob3]

I have been told that I have "cloudy or debris" in cysts in my breasts.  My cysts have ususally been "clear".  What does this mean and what is next?  I have another ultrasound scheduled in a couple of months.  Is is safe to be waiting around?? What should be done?  Thanks

[CCF-RN,MSN-rf]

Dear rob3:  In general, cloudy fluid is not too worrisome independent of other concerning features on the ultrasound.  You have a couple of options.  One is to wait the couple months and re-evaluate.  The other is to discuss with your doctor the possibility of aspirating the cyst and having the fluid examined.  It depends on your comfort level as to which option is better.

[surgeon]

I assume the debris has been noted on ultrasound. In the vast majority of cases, it's not of significance. It's true that most cysts contain clear fluid; when they don't, it can be due to infection, in which case there'd virtually always be fever and pain. The concern is could it be cancer. It's highly rare to have cancer in a cyst, and in the cases that it occurs, the cyst walls tend to be thick and irregular, which can be noted on ultrasound; also, there tends to be dense tissues surrounding the cysts. So when an otherwise normal-appearing cyst has debris, it's generally not something to get concerned about. The alternative to waiting for followup is to have an ultrasound-guided aspiration -- meaning guiding a needle into the cyst and sampling the fluid. Whether you'd opt for that would depend on the degree to which there was enough concern to consider it; either your own concern or your doctors'. If it's going to drive you crazy to wait, you should consider it. The danger of waiting, statistically speaking, is extremely low. You could also consult with, or ask your doctor to consult with, a breast surgeon.

[ozark]

hi, i also was found to have debris in a cyst, recently...past ultrasounds didnt show any cysts, now i have a few but one with debris....i had a repeat done 2 months later and the debris was gone and the cyst was round....i also have dilated ducts in both breasts that they say are of no concern....good luck