Background: To diagnose intraductal lesions endoscopically the Japanese Association of Mammary Ductoscopy classified the endoscopical appearance of lesions into three types. We investigated the correlation between endoscopic classification and histological diagnosis.
Methods: From April 1998 to February 2001, we enrolled 129 female patients who were diagnosed histologically and whose intraductal lesions were detected by mammary ductoscopy. The endoscopic classification consists of three types. The polypoid type is a localized expansive lesion. This type is divided into two subtypes, the solitary subtype (solitary polypoid lesion) and the multiple subtype (multiple polypoid lesions). The combined type is polypoid lesion(s)coexisting with a superficial type. The superficial type is a superficial spreading lesion such as a continuous luminal irregularity accompanied by no obvious elevations.
Results: There were 65 cases of breast cancer and 64 cases of benign papillary lesions. Fifty-four cases of benign papillary lesions and 7 cases of breast cancer were classified as the polypoid-solitary type. Seven benign cases and 13 cases of cancer were classified as the polypoid-multiple type. Two benign cases and 16 cases of cancer were classified as the combined type. Only one benign case and 29 cases of cancer were classified as the superficial type. There is significant correlation between endoscopical types and the histological diagnosis (p<0.0001).
Conclusions: Endoscopic classification is useful to diagnose intraductal lesions.