Phase mammography--a new technique for breast investigation.

A new phase radiography technique for investigation and diagnosis of neoplasms in breast tissue is proposed. Forty-four mammography samples with adenocarcinoma that had been prepared after mastectomy were tested in a new phase radiography device. It was shown that the phase images manifest the changes in parenchyma structure due to malignancy and microcalcifications up to 50 microm in size. Results obtained were verified by histological examination. A contrast of the phase images of small microcalcifications and distortions of the stroma architecture ranges up to 40-60%; spatial resolution is about 20 microm. The proposed technique offers outstanding possibilities for digital mammography. The small and large details of structure manifest themselves with practically the same contrast. Phase images differ from those obtained in mammography and many details still require further decoding.