USING SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY TO STUDY MINERAL-DEPOSITS IN BREAST TISSUES

Thin sections of breast tissues from patients with possible tumors als o contained closely associated mineral deposits. Using scanning electr on and backscattered electron microscopy (SEM-BSE) energy and waveleng th dispersive chemical analyses, we found the deposits ranged from <1 mu m to 50 mu m in size and were composed predominantly of calcium pho sphate. Semi-quantitative chemical determinations indicate that the mi neral exhibits different Ca/P ratios depending on the site of depositi on. This high-resolution methodology to chemically analyze precipitate s in human tissues is a novel approach that may provide some new insig hts into mineral deposition in soft tissues. Application of the techni que to establish compositional biases in a wide variety of tissues see ms warrented. Specifically, additional data on mineral deposits in bre ast tissues could contribute toward the understanding of the localized changes and to the development of disease at this site.