[Galactography: important preoperative method for breast surgery]

Galctography still is a very important method in the diagnosis of breast disease. We studied the influence of indication on the diagnostic and therapeutic efficacy of galactography. Between 1990 and 1998 210 galactographies performed in a standardized fashion were evaluated in relation to the histopathologic findings. Most of the pathology was caused by papilloma followed by ectatic ducts and carcinoma. There was also a large number of normal ducts. In patients that were operated on, there was a very high percentage of agreement between radiological and histopathological diagnosis. If indication and performance are precise, galactography yields very good results and thus contributes substantially to the surgical approach. In particular it guides the surgeon safely to the pathologic finding and thus guarantees its excision within a small volume of tissue.