DUCTAL ABNORMALITIES DETECTED WITH GALACTOGRAPHY - FREQUENCY OF ADEQUATE EXCISIONAL BIOPSY

OBJECTIVE. Galactography (ductography) is a contrast examination of th e mammary ducts performed to identify and localize intraductal growths that may be the cause of spontaneous discharge from the nipple. The o bjective of this study was to correlate the radiologic-pathologic find ings in patients with abnormal findings on galactograms in order to de termine how often the biopsy specimens included the lesions seen at ga lactography. MATERIALS AND METHODS. We retrospectively studied all gal actograms with abnormal findings obtained in women who subsequently ha d biopsy at our institution between 1981 and 1991. Galactograms and ti ssue specimens from 29 women who had 30 biopsies were included. The st andard technique was used to perform galactography. Biopsies were perf ormed by using standard surgical technique for duct excision. The hist opathologic findings were retrospectively reviewed by a pathologist, a nd at the same time the galactograms were retrospectively studied by a radiologist to determine whether the biopsy specimens included the le sions seen at galactography. RESULTS. In six (20%) of the 30 biopsies, the lesion shown by galactography was not seen on histopathologic rev iew. In the other 80%, the lesion was successfully identified on histo pathologic examination. CONCLUSION. Our finding that the abnormality s hown by galactography was not completely excised in one in five cases indicates that greater cooperation between the surgeon, radiologist, a nd pathologist is essential to ensure that all lesions are properly re moved.