title: Fine structure of breast tissue on micro computed tomography a feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the feasibility of micro computed tomography (CT) to assess the fine structure of breast tissue.
  
  
  METHODS
  Breast core needle biopsy specimens (0.8 to 1.2 mm diameter) from fifteen women with clustered microcalcifications were examined using micro CT with isotropic voxels of 8.4 μm. Reconstructed two- and three-dimensional images were compared with the corresponding histological slices. Gray-scale measurements were performed in adipose tissue, fibroglandular tissue, fibrous tissue, microcalcifications, and tumor. The Tukey-Kramer method was applied to test the statistically significant differences between gray-scale attenuation values of breast tissue components.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Soft-tissue architecture appearance at micro CT closely approximated that obtained by light microscopy at low power field. The Tukey-Kramer method revealed statistically significant differences for attenuation values for all combinations of breast tissue components with the exception of fibroglandular tissue versus fibrous tissue.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Micro CT is feasible for the differentiation of breast tissue components from core needle specimens.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, University of Giessen, Germany. hgufler@gmx.de
authors.forename: Hubert
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gufler
authors.forename: Folker Ernst
authors.initials: FE
authors.lastname: Franke
authors.forename: Sabine
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.forename: Wigbert Stephan
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Rau
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002278:Carcinoma in Situ / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D008852:Microradiography; D008875:Middle Aged; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed