Mastitis Etiology and Pathophysiology

Risk Factors and Etiology

• The American College of Radiology identifies risk factors for mastitis, including poor infant latch and improper lactation technique, in breastfeeding women 1
• Periductal mastitis and duct ectasia are common benign causes of non-lactational mastitis, particularly in women in their fourth decade of life, according to Praxis Medical Insights 2
• The condition is predominantly inflammatory rather than hormonal in nature, as noted by the Journal of the American College of Radiology 3

Pathophysiological Changes

• Focal breast tenderness typically precedes visible skin changes, as reported by the Journal of the American College of Radiology 1
• Inflammation involves breast parenchyma and may extend to dermal lymphovascular structures, according to the Annals of Oncology 4