DIGITIZATION OF MICROCALCIFICATIONS IN BREAST RADIOGRAPHS - CORRELATION WITH PATHOLOGICAL DATA

A series of 204 nonpalpable breast lesions detected by mammograms and containing microcalcifications were studied. Intraoperative radiograph s of intact and sliced specimens were assessed, followed by microscopi c diagnosis on frozen sections of areas containing microcalcifications . Microcalcifications detected on mammograms and radiographs of the sp ecimens were digitized and evaluated in accordance with morphometric p arameters, including the mean surface, shape factor, bend energy, enve lope surface and total surface, total number and concentration of micr ocalcifications. Benign disorders, atypical hyperplasia and carcinomas accounted for 47.2%, 4.8% and 48% of the tissue lesions respectively, but the disorders were most often heterogeneous and mixed. Most, bur not all, parameters significantly correlated with the three types of r adiographs, although radiographs of the sliced specimens provided imag es of the best quality. Only two parameters, mean size and bend energy , were significantly different (P = .008,.0036) in benign and malignan t lesions. If is concluded that image analysis of digitized microcalci fications in radiographs may provide quantitative data helpful in mamm ogram interpretation.