Early Detection of Breast Cancer: Large-section and Subgross Thick-section Histologic Correlation with Mammographic Appearances

Early detection of breast cancer with high-quality mammographic screening and treatment at an early stage has succeeded in lowering the death rate from breast cancer by nearly 50% among women who have attended screening regularly. The challenge of successful screening should be met with a commitment to master the complexities of image production, the variations in normal breast anatomy, the heterogeneity of breast diseases, and the progressive nature of breast cancer. In the authors’ experience, competence in breast image interpretation can be best achieved by direct comparison of mammographic, ultrasonographic and magnetic resonance images with large-section histologic and subgross, thick-section (three-dimensional) histologic images of large, contiguous tissue samples that contain the lesions. This article provides an overview of the variants of normal breast anatomy and a systematic viewing technique to find breast cancer at its earliest detectable phase. Comparison of the mammographic findings with la...