{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,11]],"date-time":"2026-06-11T10:30:34Z","timestamp":1781173834812,"version":"3.54.1"},"reference-count":28,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"24","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1766016000000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"institutional international University of Verona, Fondo Unico per la ricerca","award":["FUR 2025"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["FUR 2025"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["JCM"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background\/Objectives: Lipedema is a chronic, progressive adipo-fascial disorder characterized by connective tissue dysfunction, fibrosis, microangiopathy, and adipose tissue proliferation. Although lipedema has traditionally been described as a regionally confined disorder, emerging evidence suggests that it may reflect a broader stromal and connective tissue dysfunction. It is therefore plausible that anatomical regions not historically associated with lipedema may also exhibit alterations consistent with this dysfunctional stromal pattern. From this perspective, breast tissue\u2014rich in fibro-glandular and stromal components\u2014represents a compelling model in which to investigate whether such features are present. The breast, with its complex fibro-glandular and stromal architecture, represents a physiologically plausible site of involvement; however, its structural features in lipedema have never been systematically examined. The primary aim of this study was therefore to determine whether breast tissue\u2014rich in fibro-glandular and stromal components\u2014shows recurrent imaging or histopathological features suggestive of lipedema-related involvement. A secondary aim was to compare the frequency of these findings with patterns typically reported in healthy screening populations. Methods: This retrospective cross-sectional study analyzed 62 women (mean age: 44 \u00b1 8 years), obtained between September and November 2025, with a clinical diagnosis of lipedema who voluntarily provided breast imaging reports (ultrasound, mammography, or magnetic resonance imaging, MRI). Results: The findings revealed a remarkably high prevalence of fibro-glandular parenchyma (45%), multiple diffuse cysts (42%), microcalcifications (21%), and fibroadenomas (43.5%), with frequencies substantially exceeding those documented in healthy screening populations. Additional features included significant breast asymmetry or tuberous morphology (6%), reactive or sclero-lipomatous lymph nodes (19%), and recurrent stromal hyperplasia on biopsy. Histological evaluations (n = 9) consistently showed fibroproliferative alterations, including stromal hypercellularity, adenosis, fibroepithelial lesions, apocrine metaplasia, and pseudoangiomatous stromal hyperplasia, suggesting a shared extracellular matrix-related dysplastic phenotype between lipedema-affected breast tissue and peripheral adipose tissue. Conclusions: These findings support the hypothesis that lipedema may express a characteristic breast phenotype driven by stromal and extracellular matrix dysregulation. If confirmed in larger controlled studies, these recurrent alterations could contribute to improved diagnostic frameworks and raise awareness of lipedema as a systemic connective tissue disorder with underrecognized breast manifestations.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/jcm14248940","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]],"date-time":"2025-12-18T10:06:56Z","timestamp":1766052416000},"page":"8940","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Breast Imaging Findings in Women with Lipedema: A Retrospective Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"14","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-4199-4133","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Elettra","family":"Fiengo","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Studio Iris, Pomezia, 00071 Rome, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-0954-2119","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Andrea","family":"Sbarbati","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Department of Neurological, Biomedical and Movement Sciences, Anatomy and Histology Section, University of Verona, 37100 Verona, Italy"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,12,18]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"779","DOI":"10.1177\/02683555211015887","article-title":"Standard of care for lipedema in the United States","volume":"36","author":"Herbst","year":"2021","journal-title":"Phlebology"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Michelini, S., Herbst, K.L., Precone, V., Manara, E., Marceddu, G., Dautaj, A., Maltese, P.E., Paolacci, S., Ceccarini, M.R., and Beccari, T. 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