[Stars in mammography--cancers and radial scars (author's transl)]

Among 50 little starlike shadows in about 13,500 mammograms during the years 1973-1975 there were seven pictures proved histologically not to be cancers but "radial scars". We found no X-ray features to differentiate between scars and cancers. The uniform histologic picture of a centrally placed elastotic periductal scar with radial processes allowed however the exact differentiation. Especially significant for these radial scars is the storage of elastotic amorphous material around obliterated central ducts. Cystic atrophy or highgrade papillary epithelial proliferation in the surroundings may be combined with the central scar. Cancerous growth in this area is diagnosed without difficulty by the infiltration beyond the border of the star area.