Grading of ductal breast carcinoma by cytomorphology and image morphometry with histologic correlation.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the relevance of image analysis for grading breast carcinoma.


METHODS
Twenty-five ductal breast carcinoma cases were chosen randomly from routine fine needle aspiration clinics. The results of cytomorphologic grading and image morphometry were correlated with those of histologic grading. The five image morphometric parameters studied were nuclear diameter, nuclear area, nuclear roundness, nuclear perimeter and grey level to compare with chromatin texture.


RESULTS
Cytologic grading alone had a high correlation with histologic grading. The lowest correlation was found in grade 2 tumors. When cytologic grading was supplemented with image morphometric parameters, the correlation was higher than that of cytologic grading alone.


CONCLUSIONS
Cytologic grading has a high correlation with histologic grading. The correlation improves further on supplementation with image morphometric parameters.
Tahlan
A
A
Department of Pathology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India.
Nijhawan
R
R
Joshi
K
K
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000145:classification / Q000473:pathology*; D002467:Cell Nucleus / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008875:Middle Aged