The value of diaphanography as an adjunct to mammography in breast diagnostics

Histologically classified carcinoma and benign breast disorder was present in 100 respectively 163 cases of symptomatic women. The results of diaphanography were correlated with those obtained by clinical examination, mammography and histology. A false negative diagnosis was made in 17 cases (15.5%) using diaphanography and in 13 cases (11.8%) using mammography. A false positive diagnosis was made in 15 cases (9.2%) with diaphanography and in 33 cases (20.2%) with mammography. The use of both mammography and diaphanography reduced the number of false negatives from 11.8 per cent to 5.5 per cent. In conclusion, diaphanography has been demonstrated to be a useful adjunct to mammography.