COMPARATIVE DNA IMAGE CYTOMETRY IN IMPRINT-SECRETION, CYTOSPIN-SECRETION AND TISSUE SECTION PREPARATIONS OF BREAST-CARCINOMA

Histologic sections, imprint preparations and cell preparations by enz ymatic lysis from thick sections of cases of breast carcinomas were us ed to study total nuclear DNA distribution by image cytometry. Histolo gic sections are a prerequisite to unequivocally identify tumour cells as well as whole connective tissue cells used as a standard. While im print preparations and lysis preparations are quite comparable with re spect to distributional features, only one of them suffices to recogni ze these features, especially peaks at higher ploidies. Using this two -method approach to breast carcinomas, it was possible to distinguish a distribution separate from previously recognized distributions: a di stinct triploid peak appears for predominantly high grade malignant du ctal carcinomas.