DNA-PLOIDY ON CYTOLOGIC AND TISSUE-SECTIONS OF BREAST LUMPS - A COMPARISON USING IMAGE-ANALYSIS

OBJECTIVE: Ploidy correlation between cytologic and histologic breast specimens would permit preoperative measurement of ploidy and may assi st in patient management. STUDY DESIGN: DNA indices were measured on f ine needle aspirates (FNAs) of 50 breast lumps and the results compare d with ploidy of histologic specimens from the same lump. RESULTS: Thi rty-six of 50 were histologically malignant, and 14/50 were benign. Th e mean DNA index of malignant tissue sections was 1.23 (range, 0.61-2. 62) and on corresponding cytology was 1.49 (range, 0.79-3.18). Fourtee n benign tissue sections had a mean DNA index of 0.94 (range, 0.51-1.3 7) and a mean DNA index of 1.06 (range, 0.74-2.13) on cytology. DNA in dices of FNAs and corresponding tissue sections revealed a correlation between the two (Pearson's correlation coefficient=.386, P value=.006 ). CONCLUSION: Our results show that the DNA indices are comparable us ing image analysis on FNAs and tissue sections on the same surgical br east specimens. This demonstrates that ploidy can be achieved on cytol ogic breast material and may have a role in the preoperative assessmen t of breast cancers.