PARAFFIN TISSUE BLOCK RADIOGRAPHY OF NONPALPABLE LESIONS WITH CALCIFICATIONS DETECTED AT MAMMOGRAPHY - 5-YEAR CONSECUTIVE SERIES OF SURGICALLY EXCISED CASES

The objective of our study was to evaluate paraffin tissue block radio graphy following biopsy for breast calcifications at a center for popu lation-based mammography screening. During a 5-year period, we radiogr aphed tissue blocks from 259 breast specimens excised because of nonpa lpable calcifications. A total of 124 cases were examined retrospectiv ely and 135 cases were examined prospectively. In 34 of 94 (36%) retro spectively examined cases with calcifications, the histopathological d iagnosis was ductal cancer in situ with or without invasive cancer, co mpared with 3 of 30 (10%) cases without calcifications. In 6 cases a p rimary benign histopathological diagnosis was changed to malignant due tot he use of tissue block radiography. Tissue block radiography is a valuable adjunctive method to assure that areas containing calcificat ions are examined by histopathology.