title: Paraffin tissue block radiography: adjunct to breast specimen radiography.
abstract: Radiography of specimens is an essential step in confirming excision of nonpalpable breast lesions. On occasion, however, the pathologist may not identify the lesion histologically. The authors report five cases in which suspicious microcalcifications were included in the excised tissue but were not identified by the pathologist. In all five, paraffin tissue block radiography enabled identification of the specific blocks containing the microcalcifications. The correct tissue blocks were then sectioned again, and the microcalcifications were identified histopathologically. In one case, the initial diagnosis of intraductal hyperplasia was changed to intraductal carcinoma with focal invasion. When the pathologist cannot identify the calcifications on initial histopathologic sections, this technique may assist in identification of the mammographic abnormality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Rebner
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Helvie
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Pennes
authors.forename: H A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Oberman
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Ikeda
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Adler
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006652:Histological Techniques; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography / Q000379:methods; D010232:Paraffin
chemical_list: D010232:Paraffin