DNA ploidy on cytologic and tissue sections of breast lumps. A comparison using image analysis.

OBJECTIVE: Ploidy correlation between cytologic and histologic breast specimens would permit preoperative measurement of ploidy and may assist in patient management. STUDY DESIGN: DNA indices were measured on fine needle aspirates (FNAs) of 50 breast lumps and the results compared with ploidy of histologic specimens from the same lump. RESULTS: Thirty-six of 50 were histologically malignant, and 14/50 were benign. The mean DNA index of malignant tissue sections was 1.23 (range, 0.61-2.62) and on corresponding cytology was 1.49 (range, 0.79-3.18). Fourteen benign tissue sections had a mean DNA index of 0.94 (range, 0.51-1.37) and a mean DNA index of 1.06 (range, 0.74-2.13) on cytology. DNA indices of FNAs and corresponding tissue sections revealed a correlation between the two (Pearson's correlation coefficient = .386, P value = .006). CONCLUSION: Our results show that the DNA indices are comparable using image analysis on FNAs and tissue sections on the same surgical breast specimens. This demonstrates that ploidy can be achieved on cytologic breast material and may have a role in the preoperative assessment of breast cancers.