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

Citation
Sh. Poggi et al., USING SCANNING ELECTRON-MICROSCOPY TO STUDY MINERAL-DEPOSITS IN BREAST TISSUES, The American mineralogist, 83(9-10), 1998, pp. 1122-1126
Citations number
25
Categorie Soggetti
Geochemitry & Geophysics",Mineralogy
Journal title
ISSN journal
0003004X
Volume
83
Issue
9-10
Year of publication
1998
Pages
1122 - 1126
Database
ISI
SICI code
0003-004X(1998)83:9-10<1122:USETSM>2.0.ZU;2-0
Abstract
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.