Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic analysis of organic oil mastitis

The prevalent use of "medical grade" silicone oils, gels, and elastomers in medical practice has largely obscured the fact that other (illicit) materials also are still in use. Injection fluids used for tissue augmentations are sometimes composed of adulterated silicone oil formulations containing a variety of organic oils. The differential diagnosis between silicone mastitis and other organic oil mastitis in biopsy and mastectomy specimens cannot be resolved by oral history and histopathologic examination alone. In two of three specimens clinically and histopathologically diagnosed initially as silicone mastitis at the authors' institution, examination by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the principal organic oils were mineral oil and soy or olive oil. Only one specimen of mastitis contained silicone oil. In view of the significant prognostic as well as medicolegal implications of the pathologic diagnosis, the generic term "organic oil mastitis" should be used in the absence of additional objective data.