Mammography in 1980: an historical perspective and present state of the art.

Continued improvement in mammographic techniques, with marked reduction in radiation exposure, now makes mammography an essential part of the workup of any breast problem in women over age 30-35. Breast patterns alone cannot be used as the basis for determining high or low risk patients, but they can guide the clinician in deciding what are the proper intervals between mammograms. With increasing use of mammography, emphasis has now changed from the diagnosis of obvious cancers to the evaluation of minimal or questionable mammographic findings. Such occult masses or calcifications require needle localization, with or without specimen radiography, to ensure removal of the proper areas for histologic study.