title: Assessment of a scoring scheme for the preoperative diagnosis of breast lumps.
abstract: The value and accuracy of a scoring system applied to clinical examination, aspiration cytology and mammography has been assessed in the diagnosis of 224 consecutive 'new' patients attending a breast clinic with a breast lump. In 72 of 99 patients with breast cancer (80%) the scores were high enough to allow definitive surgery without formal histology; all were subsequently confirmed as breast carcinomas. Cytology proved the most accurate investigation with no false positives and a correct diagnosis in 146 of 148 adequate specimens (98.6%). This system reduced the frozen section rate by 74% and allowed for a more appropriate counselling of patients prior to mastectomy.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008722:Methods