Automated histometry in fibrocystic breast disease

Ductal epithelial proliferations of the mammary gland in biopsy material from 101 patients, including 52 with proliferative fibrocystic disease (mastopathy), were quantitatively analyzed by means of the Robotron A 6471 system together with AMBA/R software. Based on reproducible data obtained for distinct karyometric and histometric features, significant differences were found to exist between epithelial proliferations without atypical hyperplasia (mastopathy II) and those with atypia (mastopathy III). The multiparameter analysis also produced some hints that cases of proliferative mastopathy III can be divided into two groups having different risks of developing carcinoma.