RESUMO
Nearly 18 % tuberculosis patients have only extrapulmonary manifestations. Tuberculosis of the breast is an uncommon disease even in countries where the incidence of pulmonary and extrapulmonary tuberculosis is high. It accounts for less than 0.1% of breast conditions in developed countries, but reaches 3–4% in regions where the disease presents with high incidence (India, Africa). The significance of mammary tuberculosis is due to very rare occurrence and usually mistaken identity with breast cancer and pyogenic breast abscess. Radiological imaging is not diagnostic. Diagnosis is based on identification of typical histological features or the tubercle bacilli under microscopy or culture. This disease can present a diagnostic problem on radiological and microbiological investigations, and thus a high index of suspicion is needed. This review is based on the discussion on the important issues relating to the diagnosis, clinical features, and management of breast tuberculosis.