[Optimization of exposure conditions for amorphous selenium direct conversion DR-based mammography system].

A new direct-conversion detector for DR mammography has improved the detectability of microcalcifications and masses. Each optimized exposure condition (target/filter combination and tube voltage) was defined through comparison of physical values and visual evaluation on breast specimens using the innovative DR mammography. The contrast-to-noise-ratios (CNRs) of PMMA phantoms of various thicknesses were obtained under a variety of exposure conditions whose average glandular doses (AGDs) were made consistent. Fifty breast specimens were irradiated under these combinations. Visual evaluation was conducted on the images, whose histograms were controlled for consistency. In the phantoms with thicknesses of 20 mm or more, tungsten/rhodium had the highest CNRs of the targets/filters such as molybdenum/molybdenum and molybdenum/rhodium. For visualizing microcalcifications and masses on breast specimens of thicknesses of 35 mm and below, molybdenum/molybdenum was the best. Nevertheless, to obtain better image quality, molybdenum/rhodium was superior for 35-55 mm thickness, and tungsten/rhodium was superior for 55 mm and above under the same AGD, enabling accurate and efficient diagnosis. The study showed that the exposure conditions differ for obtaining the highest CNR using phantoms and those under which breast specimen images allow the most accurate and efficient diagnosis. In addition, image evaluations of the breast specimens allowed optimization of exposure conditions that are closer to those of the actual diagnosis using mammography.

Intracytoplasmic lipid accumulation in apocrine carcinoma of the breast evaluated with adipophilin immunoreactivity: a possible link between apocrine carcinoma and lipid-rich carcinoma.

Although apocrine carcinoma is a distinct histologic entity, there is no immunohistochemical marker to confirm apocrine differentiation with high sensitivity and specificity, and its differential cytologic characteristics are still not fully clarified. Despite the foamy cytoplasm of some apocrine carcinomas and the existence of lipid in the normal apocrine gland, intracytoplasmic lipid in apocrine carcinomas has not been fully explored. By using immunohistochemistry for adipophilin, which is a specific marker of lipid accumulation that can be applied to paraffin sections, we examined intracytoplasmic lipid in apocrine carcinomas. Twenty-four of 26 (92%) apocrine carcinomas and 38 of 116 (33%) nonapocrine carcinomas contained intracytoplasmic lipid. The frequency of adipophilin-positive cases was significantly higher in apocrine carcinomas compared with nonapocrine carcinomas (P<0.01). The positive cell rate per tumor ranged from 10% to 70% (mean, 29%) for apocrine carcinomas. The staining density was heterogeneous from cell to cell. There was no difference in the staining pattern of adipophilin between apocrine ductal carcinoma in situ and invasive apocrine carcinoma or between eosinophilic cells and foamy cells. Sporadic or mosaic distribution of adipophilin-positive cells throughout the tumor and microvesicular or fine granular cytoplasmic staining with heterogeneous density were characteristic features of apocrine carcinoma. Although intracytoplasmic lipid was identified in most apocrine carcinomas, none of the apocrine carcinomas contained prominent intracytoplasmic lipid in >90% of the tumor cells; thus, the criteria for lipid-rich carcinoma was not fulfilled. However, the immunohistochemical study suggests that lipid-rich carcinomas are closely related to apocrine carcinomas.

Topographical, morphological and immunohistochemical characteristics of carcinoma in situ of the breast involving sclerosing adenosis. Two distinct topographical patterns and histological types of carcinoma in situ.

AIM: To examine the histopathological features of 24 surgically resected carcinoma in situ (CIS) involving sclerosing adenosis (SA), with special reference to the topographical relationship between CIS and SA. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 13 (54%) lesions, CIS was entirely surrounded by SA (type A) and in 11 (46%), CIS involved SA at least focally but was not confined to the SA area (type B). The mean size of CIS in type B (30.45 mm) was significantly larger than in type A (18.00 mm). The mean size of SA in type A (39.46 mm) was significantly larger than in type B (19.54 mm). Most type A CIS were non-high-grade, and the oestrogen receptor (ER)(+)/progesterone receptor (PgR)(+)/HER2(-) immunophenotype predominated. Most type B CIS were high-grade and six (54%) were ER(-)/PgR(-). Most type A were bcl-2(+)/p53(-) in both SA and CIS areas, but two (18%) apocrine ductal CIS of type B were bcl-2(-)/p53(+) in both SA and CIS areas. Expression of ER and cyclin D1 in SA was not different from that of SA unassociated with cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Most CIS involving SA arises within SA and high-grade DCIS tends to grow beyond SA. Occasional CIS may arise outside SA and secondarily involve SA.

The relationship between coronary artery calcification detected by non-gated multi-detector CT in patients with suspected ischemic heart disease and myocardial ischemia detected by thallium exercise stress testing.

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether we could predict myocardial ischemia when coronary artery calcification is detected by non-gated multidetector CT in patients with suspected ischemic heart disease. METHODS: Eighty-three patients suspected of having ischemic heart disease (55 men, 28 women; age range 36-83 years; mean age 68 years) underwent multidetector CT and T1-201 single photon emission computed tomography. Prediction of myocardial ischemia by coronary arterial calcification detected on CT was evaluated by comparing the coronary artery territories that showed calcification with the area of myocardial ischemia determined by SPECT. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of multidetector CT for predicting myocardial ischemia were calculated. Coronary angiography was also examined and compared with multidetector CT. Risk factors, including hypertension, smoking, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and family history, were compared for evidence of coronary artery calcification detected by multidetector CT and myocardial ischemia detected by thallium nuclear scans. RESULTS: For analysis by patients, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of coronary artery calcification for myocardial ischemia detection were 65, 63, 56, and 71%, respectively. Similarly, for analysis by coronary arterial territories, those values were 56, 77, 41 and 86%, respectively. Coronary stenosis on CAG was also related to the ischemia determined by SPECT and calcification on multidetector CT. Ischemia was better influenced by risk factors than was coronary arterial calcification. CONCLUSIONS: For analysis by coronary arterial territories, the specificity and negative predictive value of coronary arterial calcification seen by multidetector CT are relatively high.