Snowstorm sign (extracapsular breast implant rupture)


Snowstorm sign on breast ultrasound imaging represents the presence of free silicone droplets mixed with breast tissue giving a characteristic heterogeneous echogenic appearance with dispersion of the ultrasound beam. It is considered the most reliable sign of extracapsular breast implant rupture . A similar appearance may be seen in axillary nodes in silicone lymphadenopathy.
A similar sonographic sign has also been described when assessing complete hydatiform mole.