[Anatomical and histological approach to the radioraphic appearance of the breast (author's transl)].
The authors present first correlations between histology, anatomy and serial radiography of the breast, in order to establish a new understanding of the mammographic picture, with respect to the tridimensional histological structures. Several essential points are considered: - Mammographic pictures only show fibrous, connecting and fatty tissues. The epithelium of the galactophores is not shown, because of its low radio-opacity. Mammographic densities are due above all to fibrous connecting tissue, which has a high percentage of water. Benign or malignant breast tumors present with a proliferation of epithelium and connecting tissue, but only connecting tissue, more or less hydrated is shown on the mammographic picture. Many mammographic patterns are related to various superimposed fibrous strands, appearing as pseudotumoral opacities. The benign or malignant tumoral opacities are hidden or modified by multiple superimposed adjacent structures. - The mammographic patterns is related to the degree of hydratation and components of the connecting tissue.