J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 53(2): 72-81, 1952

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Original article

A ROENTGENOLOGIC STUDY OF BLOOD VESSELS IN BREAST TUMORS

Roentgenographic patterns of blood vessels of 62 surgically amputated mammae were studied by injecting a radiopaque substance, a mixture of triplumbic t traoxide and formalin, and were analized in comparison with the histologic findings of mammary glands. The above mentioned 62 mammae consisted of 35 breast cancers, 1 breast sarcoma, 6 benign breast tumors, 18 chronic mastopathies, and 2 normal mammae.
This study reveals the following results :
(1): The arteries of normal mammae are chiefly composed of branches of the external lateral thoracic artery, perforating branches of the internal thoracic artery, and perforating branches of the intercostal arteries ; and between these arteries anastomosis develop most remarkably. Those arteries vary in size and density in accordance not only with age and individual differences but with physiological changes, i.e., pregnancy, lactation, etc.
(2) : In breast cancer the arteriograms show the characteristic figures, namely the great increase in number and size, converging toward the tumors crowdedly. This phenomenon is most prominent in the peripheral area of the cancer.
Among the auther's cases of breast cancers it is almost impossible to differentiate the histological sort of cancer through its arteriographic pattern.
(3) : In one case of breast sarcoma, it is possible to recognize similar increase and dilatation of arteries, as in breast cancer. Any particular difference may not be observed between sarcoma and cancer so far as their arteriograms are concerned.
(4): In benign breast tumor, only a slight dilatation of arteries is found. It is also recognized, however, that any malignant change will bring about the greater increase in number and size of arteries.
(5): In chronic mastopathy, the arteriograms show multifarious patterns as their histological picture are of great variety. In such cases of mastopathy, which show the tendency ot histological hyperplasia a slight dilatation of arteries is observed as in benign tumors; while in histologically atrophic cases number of arteries decreases.
In those cases, in which signs of malignancy are recognized histologically, the arteriographic patterns show considerable changes only in the part of histological malignancy. The arteriograms will reflect pretty well the tendency of malignant changes of mastopathy.
(6): It is rather difficult to take roentgenograms of veins, as compared with arteries. Venogram is succeeded only in three cases, and its finding reveals only a congestion of small veins in the tumor of breast cancer.
(7): Studies of mammography are added in breast cancer ; and c'efects of mammary glands in tumor are recognized in the mammogram. Similar results are obtained as previous auther, Dr. Fukuoka and others. (Author's abstract)

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