Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 26, 2026
Clinical Imaging of Microwave Mammography
Published on: November 14, 2025
[Diagnostics of microcalcifications from minimally invasive biopsies in mammography screening: results from the
D Hungermann1, S Weigel, E Korsching
1Brust-Screening-Pathologie Gerhard Domagk-Institut für Pathologie, Universitätsklinikum Münster, Domagkstr 17, 48149, Münster, Deutschland.
Background:
In mammography screening programmes carried out according to European guidelines, minimally invasive biopsies (MIB) are performed on up to 3% of participants. The aim of this study was to analyse the spectrum of histopathological findings including B categories in MIBs with microcalcifications compared to MIBs without microcalcifications.
Material And Methods:
Prospectively collected histological findings of MIBs taken during the period July 2006 to June 2007 were analysed using the Breast Screening Pathology Database of the Reference Centre in Münster.
Results:
Of the 4,326 MIBs investigated, 2,161 were benign (B1-B3) whereas 2,165 were malignant (B4-B5) resulting in an overall malignancy rate of 50.04%. Of the MIBs 1,809 contained microcalcifications and 2,517 did not. Cases with microcalcifications showed a different distribution of B categories: B2 was found in 44.5% versus 24.2%, B3 in 18.2% versus 5.5% and the malignancy rate of cases with microcalcifications was 36.8% versus 59.5%. Of all cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) detected in the screening programme, 83.35% were diagnosed in MIBs containing microcalcifications.
Conclusions:
MIBs containing microcalcifications showed a different spectrum of diagnoses, especially higher rates of B3 lesions. Even though MIBs without microcalcifications showed a higher overall malignancy rate, most cases of DCIS were diagnosed in MIB containing microcalcifications.
