Microtome Shaving Radiography: Demonstration of Loss of Mammographic Microcalcifications During Histologic Sectioning

• Published in: The breast journal Vol. 10; no. 3; pp. 200 - 203
• Main Authors: Winston, Janet S., Geradts, Joseph, Liu, Dong Feng, Stomper, Paul C.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Blackwell Science Inc 01.05.2004
• Subjects: Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - surgery; Calcinosis - diagnostic imaging; Calcinosis - pathology; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - diagnostic imaging; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - pathology; Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating - surgery; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; mammography; Mammography - methods; microcalcification; Microtomy - methods; Sensitivity and Specificity; Specimen Handling - methods; tissue sectioning
• ISSN: 1075-122X; 1524-4741
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1075-122X.2004.21300.x

:  Mammographic‐pathologic correlation of suspicious microcalcifications is essential for optimal diagnosis and local staging of early breast carcinoma. Loss of microcalcifications during histologic sectioning has been suggested as one reason for the occasional lack of microscopic visualization of microcalcifications in routinely processed breast biopsy specimens obtained for suspicious mammographic microcalcifications. Two case reports utilizing radiography of histologic shavings of stereotactic core biopsies and surgical excisional biopsies of mammographic microcalcifications provide concrete evidence of the loss of large calcific particles during the microtome process.