RADIOSURGICAL LABELING OF NON PALPABLE MA MMARY LESIONS

Background: The frequency of breast cancer is increasing worldwide and mammography allows the diagnosis of concealed lesions. Aim: To assess the diagnostic yield for carcinoma of non palpable lesions detected b y mammography. Patients and methods: We studied 46 patients, aged 24 t o 67 years old, in whom a radiosurgical labeling of non palpable mamma ry lesions was performed. In all patients, a surgical biopsy was obtai ned, but the pathological study was available in only 40 patients. Res ults: The mammographic appearance of lesions were microcalcifications in 40% of women, stellate images in 27.5%, asymmetry in density in 5% and the association of microcalcifications and other signs in 20%. Sev enty seven percent of lesions were benign. Four patients had an in sit u ductal carcinoma, two had a predominantly in situ carcinoma and 4 ha d an invasive ductal carcinoma. Conclusions: Our results are similar t o those reported abroad. The finding of 5 minimal carcinomas underscor es the effectiveness of mammography as a screening method for breast c ancer.