[The value of preoperative location of microcalcifications without palpable breast tumors]

In 1986 and 1987, 224 patients were operated on for microcalcification without palpable lesions of the breast. Classical orthogonal (perpendicular grid) localisation was performed in 123 patients: external cutaneous localisation of the nipple was performed in 78 patients and hook localisation in 25 patients. Primary excision without the need for re-excision was possible respectively in 88% and 94% with external and hook localisation and in 83% after orthogonal localisation. The mean volume of the operation specimen was lower after hook (38.3 cm3) than after cutaneous or orthogonal localisation (54.6 cm3). 43% of the patients had a malignant lesion and even when the cluster of microcalcifications was single 50% of the margins were positive. Pre-operative localisation of occult breast lesions has simplified the surgical technique of excision. Nevertheless the pre-operative diagnosis of malignancy should be improved on in order to perform a procedure both diagnostic and therapeutic in the same operation.