Gynecomastia classification

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Husnain Shaukat, M.D [2], Omodamola Aje B.Sc, M.D. [3]

Overview

Gynecomastia has been classified by various systems mainly based on surgical management, the severity of gynecomastia, physical appearance, and etiology.

Classification

Different gynecomastia classification systems are:^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]

Surgical classification of gynecomastia

Classification system	Criteria		Description
Classification system	Physical	Tissue type	Description
Nydick’s		Physical	Gland limited to the retro areolar region and it does not reach the edge of the areola Gland extends as far as the edge of the areola The increase in gland volume extends beyond the edge of the areola
Tanner’s		Physical	Stage 1: Nipple prominence Stage 2: Mammillary button stage. The breast and the nipple-areola complex are slightly swollen and diameter of the areola increases Stage 3: Further swelling of the breast and areola without separation of their edges Stage 4: Areola and nipple become protrusive and form a secondary protrusion above the breast Stage 5: There is protrusion of the nipple only after retraction of the areola from the breast surface
Simon’s		Physical	Grade 1: Small visible breast enlargement and no skin redundancy Grade 2a: Moderate breast enlargement without skin redundancy Grade 2b: Moderate breast enlargement with skin redundancy Grade 3: Marked breast enlargement with marked skin redundancy
Deutinger’s and Freilinger’s		Physical	Grade 1: Thoracic wall poor in the flesh with mammary tissue localized behind and around the nipple without skin excess Grade 2: Adipose thoracic wall with widespread alterations and breasts similar to feminine ones during puberty Grade 3: Widespread alterations with excess adipose tissue, skin redundancy and inframammary fold and ptosis
Cohen’s		Physical	Group 1: Glandular gynecomastia Group 2: Glandular gynecomastia with ptosis Group 3: Adipose gynecomastia Group:4 Adipose gynecomastia with a slight glandular component
Rohrich’s		Physical/Tissue type	Grade 1: Minimal hypertrophy, (less than 250g of tissue) without ptosis 1a: Primarily glandular 1b: Primarily fibrous Grade 2: moderate hypertrophy (250-500g of breast tissue) without ptosis 2a: Primarily glandular 2b: Primarily fibrous Grade 3: Severe hypertrophy (>500g of breast tissue with grade 1 ptosis glandular or fibrous Grade 4: Severe hypertrophy with grade 2 or 3 ptosis glandular or fibrous
Gusenoff’s		Physical	Grade 1: Minimal excess skin and fat with minimal alteration of nipple-areola complex (NAC) and inframammary fold (IMF) 1a: No lateral skin roll 1b: Lateral skin roll Grade 2: Nipple-areola complex (NAC) and inframammary fold (IMF) below the ideal IMF with lateral chest roll and minimal upper abdominal laxity Grade 3: Nipple-areola complex (NAC) and inframammary fold (IMF) below the ideal IMF with lateral chest roll and significant upper abdominal laxity
Barros’s		Physical	Grade I: Increased diameter and slight protrusion limited to the areola region Grade II: Moderate hypertrophy of the breast with the nipple-areola complex (NAC) above the inframammary fold (IMF) Grade III: Major hypertrophy of the breast with glandular ptosis and the NAC situated at the same height as or as much as 1 cm below the inframammary fold (IM) Grade IV: Major breast hypertrophy with skin redundancy, severe ptosis, and the NAC positioned ≥1 cm below the inframammary fold (IMF)
Çi̇l’s		Imaging (computed tomography)	Gynecomastic adipose tissue/total gynecomastic tissue is <0.3 Gynecomastic adipose tissue/total gynecomastic tissue is 0.3–0.5 Gynecomastic adipose tissue/total gynecomastic tissue is >0.6
Cordova’s		Physical	Grade I: Increase in diameter and protrusion limited to the areolar region Grade II: Hypertrophy of all the structural components of the breast and the nipple-areola complex (NAC) is above the inframammary fold (IMF) Grade III: Hypertrophy of all the structural components with nipple-areola complex (NAC) at the same height as or approximately 1 cm below the inframammary fold (IMF). In this group we can also include male tuberous breast Grade IV: Hypertrophy of all the structural components with nipple-areola complex (NAC) >1 cm below theinframammary fold (IMF)
Fruhstorfer’s		Physical	Small-to-moderate gynecomastia Moderate-to-large gynecomastia
Mladick’s		Physical	No sagging Slight sagging Moderate sagging Extensive sagging
Monarca’s		Physical/tissue type	Grade I: Minimal hypertrophy (<250 g) IA: Primarily fatty breast tissue IB: Primarily fibrous breast tissue IC: Nipple malposition (upright) ID: Gynoid (rounded) shape of the chest IE: Absence of sternal notch II: Moderate hypertrophy (250–500 g) Grade IIA: Primarily fatty breast tissue IIB: Primarily fibrous breast tissue with peripheral fat IIC: Nipple malposition (upright or upward) IID: Moderate gynoid shape of the chest IIE: Absence of sternal notch Grade III: Severe hypertrophy with grade I ptosis (>500 g) IIIA: Fatty and fibrous tissue with ptosis of grade I IIIB: Nipple malposition (upright or upward) IIIC: Severe gynoid shape of the chest IIID: Absence of sternal notch Grade IV: Severe hypertrophy with grade II or III ptosis (>500–700 g) IVA: Fatty and fibrous tissue with ptosis of grade II IVB: Fatty and fibrous tissue with ptosis of with nipple reorientation grade III IVC: Nipple malposition (upright or upward) IVD: Severe gynoid shape of the chest IVE: Absence of sternal notch
Ratnam’s		Physical	Type 1: Enlarged breasts with elastic skin and no fold Type 2: Enlarged breasts with elastic skin and an inframammory fold (IMF) Type 3: Ptotic breasts with inelastic skin
Webster’s		Tissue type	Class 1: Periductal connective tissue hypertrophy without adipose tissue change Class 2: Increase in the amount of both connective and adipose tissue Class 3: Adipose tissue hypertrophy alone

*NAC, nipple-areola complex; IMF, inframammary fold

Classification based on severity

Gynecomastia can be classified on the basis of severity as:

Grade I: Minor enlargement with no skin excess
Grade II: Moderate enlargement with no skin excess
Grade III: Moderate enlargement with skin excess
Grade IV: Marked enlargement with skin excess

Classifcation based on etiology

References

↑ Waltho D, Hatchell A, Thoma A (2017). “Gynecomastia Classification for Surgical Management: A Systematic Review and Novel Classification System”. Plast Reconstr Surg. 139 (3): 638e–648e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000003059. PMID 28234829.
↑ Monarca C, Rizzo MI (2013). “Gynecomastia: tips and tricks-classification and surgical approach”. Plast Reconstr Surg. 131 (5): 863e–5e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0b013e318287a18f. PMID 23629140.
↑ Rohrich RJ, Ha RY, Kenkel JM, Adams WP (2003). “Classification and management of gynecomastia: defining the role of ultrasound-assisted liposuction”. Plast Reconstr Surg. 111 (2): 909–23, discussion 924-5. doi:10.1097/01.PRS.0000042146.40379.25. PMID 12560721.
↑ Wollina, U; Goldman, A (June 2011). “Minimally invasive esthetic procedures of the male breast”. Journal of cosmetic dermatology. 10 (2): 150–155. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2165.2011.00548.x. PMID 21649820.
↑ Simon BE, Hoffman S, Kahn S (1973). “Classification and surgical correction of gynecomastia”. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 51 (1): 48–52. PMID 4687568.
↑ Gikas P, Mokbel K (2007). “Management of gynaecomastia: an update”. Int J Clin Pract. 61 (7): 1209–15. doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2006.01095.x. PMID 17362482.

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[pmid28234829-1] Waltho D, Hatchell A, Thoma A (2017). “Gynecomastia Classification for Surgical Management: A Systematic Review and Novel Classification System”. Plast Reconstr Surg. 139 (3): 638e–648e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0000000000003059. PMID 28234829.

[pmid23629140-2] Monarca C, Rizzo MI (2013). “Gynecomastia: tips and tricks-classification and surgical approach”. Plast Reconstr Surg. 131 (5): 863e–5e. doi:10.1097/PRS.0b013e318287a18f. PMID 23629140.

[pmid12560721-3] Rohrich RJ, Ha RY, Kenkel JM, Adams WP (2003). “Classification and management of gynecomastia: defining the role of ultrasound-assisted liposuction”. Plast Reconstr Surg. 111 (2): 909–23, discussion 924-5. doi:10.1097/01.PRS.0000042146.40379.25. PMID 12560721.

[Minimal-4] Wollina, U; Goldman, A (June 2011). “Minimally invasive esthetic procedures of the male breast”. Journal of cosmetic dermatology. 10 (2): 150–155. doi:10.1111/j.1473-2165.2011.00548.x. PMID 21649820.

[pmid4687568-5] Simon BE, Hoffman S, Kahn S (1973). “Classification and surgical correction of gynecomastia”. Plast. Reconstr. Surg. 51 (1): 48–52. PMID 4687568.

[pmid17362482-6] Gikas P, Mokbel K (2007). “Management of gynaecomastia: an update”. Int J Clin Pract. 61 (7): 1209–15. doi:10.1111/j.1742-1241.2006.01095.x. PMID 17362482.

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