[Duct pattern of the breast. An indicator of patients with increased risk of breast cancer development? A histological and mammographic study with 160 cases of breast cancer (author's transl)].

In 1975 John Wolfe proposed a classification of mammographic findings concerning the distribution of the duct pattern to select patients with high cancer risk. In a retrospective study we classified 160 patients with breast cancer according to the duct pattern classification. Our findings support well the results of Wolfe. Type N (normal duct pattern) is found in only 8,9% of all cancer patients whereas breast cancer was combined in 80% with the P2-DY-type. Our investigation confirms the classification of the duct pattern according to Wolfe as a valuable addition to the mammographic diagnosis of breast cancer.