What is a radial scar, and how can it appear on mammography?

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A radial scar is a benign breast lesion that can mimic cancer on imaging. On mammography it most often presents as architectural distortion without a discrete mass, and may appear as a scar-like lesion with radiating strands. Sometimes it looks like a small spiculated mass or shows subtle calcifications. Because this appearance can resemble malignancy, imaging often leads to biopsy to rule out cancer or associated atypia, even though the lesion itself is benign. The other options describe malignant tumors, cysts, or vascular malformations, which do not fit the typical mammographic appearance or pathology of a radial scar.