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Updated: May 11, 2026
Preparation and Using Phantom Lesions to Practice Fine Needle Aspiration Biopsies
Published on: September 29, 2009
Can breast nipple fluid collected with automated aspiration and preserved in based-liquid solution improve the
José Roberto Filassi1, Marco Antonio Zonta, Angela Trinconi
1Mastology Division, Gynecological Department, Faculty of Medicine, São Paulo University, São Paulo, Brazil. drfilassi@terra.com.br
Objective:
Samples from breast nipples collected with the automated HALO™ Mamo Cito Test were studied in order to evaluate the cellularity for the diagnosis of breast cancer.
Study Design:
One hundred and fifty-nine asymptomatic women were prospectively examined. Women younger than 18 years, pregnant or lactating women, and women with a history of breast cancer, with previous radio- or chemotherapy and with nipple piercing were excluded from the study. Nipple samples from both breasts were collected.
Results:
In 107 (34.96%) of the 306 samples of nipple discharge analyzed by optical microscopy, adequate cellularity was observed after the HALO procedure. Cytological findings, previously categorized according to the National Health Service Breast Screening Program (NHSBSP), were grouped as unsatisfactory, benign, suspected for malignancy, and malignant. Of the cellular breast samples, 97.19% (104/107) were classified as benign, and 2.81% (3/107) were classified as suspicious for malignancy. In 199 cases there were samples without cells (65.03%). Most of the cells observed were easily recognized as well-preserved and adequately stained macrophages. None of the women reported discomfort with the nipple aspiration procedure.
Conclusions:
The results discussed here encouraged us to use samples collected automatically in routine procedures.
