[Breast affections requiring surgery: diagnosis from the view-point of a radiologist (author's transl)]

Examinations by X-rays are the best method to detect early carcinomas of the breast and precancerous alterations. In many cases it is possible to avoid operations by pneumocystography. An unsuspected result by pneumocytostography permits to depart from the principle to remove every palpable tumor. Nevertheless the X-ray examinations have some limits. Therefore it is necessary for the radiologist to know exactly the clinical state. Furthermore there must be a very good cooperation between the radiologist, the surgeon and the histologist. Problems originated from the appearance of so-called suspicious microcalcifications visible in well made mammograms. The sooner the microcalcifications are excised the more it is possible to discover early carcinomas and precancerous alterations but also harmless variations. Pathological secretion from the nipple is an indication for galactography. If there are pathological alterations in the ducts it is necessary in order to avoid mistakes in diagnosis to excise and examine the specimen by very reliable methods. The results from thermographical and cytological investigations are sometimes of value for the decision to perform an operation but not for the decision to omit the histological examination.