Small-angle x-ray scattering studies of human breast tissue samples

• Published in: Physics in medicine & biology Vol. 47; no. 4; pp. 577 - 592
• Main Authors: Fernández, M, Keyriläinen, J, Serimaa, R, Torkkeli, M, Karjalainen-Lindsberg, M-L, Tenhunen, M, Thomlinson, W, Urban, V, Suortti, P
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Bristol IOP Publishing 21.02.2002; Institute of Physics
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Breast - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Collagen - metabolism; Female; Genital system. Mammary gland; Gynecology. Andrology. Obstetrics; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Mammary gland diseases; Mammography; Medical sciences; Models, Statistical; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Scattering, Radiation; Time Factors; Tumors; X-Ray Diffraction; X-Rays; Human; Correlation; Case control study; Malignant tumor; Experimental study; Scattering factor; In vitro; X ray irradiation; Mammary gland diseases; Pathology; Synchrotrons; Collagen; Female; Mammary gland
• ISSN: 0031-9155; 1361-6560
• DOI: 10.1088/0031-9155/47/4/303

Small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) patterns are recorded from thin breast tissue samples containing healthy and cancerous regions. The SAXS patterns are compared with histo-pathological observations. The information available from SAXS is reviewed, and a model for scattering from collagen is presented. Scattering patterns of collagen at regions far from the tumours are essentially different from those at tumours. The axial period of collagen fibrils is 65.0 +/- 0.1 nm in healthy regions, and 0.3 nm larger in cancer-invaded regions. The average intensity of scattering from cancerous regions is an order of magnitude higher than the intensity from healthy regions. This is interpreted to arise from an increase of the specific surface area of the scatterers, which is due to a disruption of the molecular and supra-molecular structures in cancerous regions and invasion of new types of cells. The differences of the SAXS patterns are large and distinctive enough to suggest that these phenomena may be utilized in mammography.