[The importance of mammography in the early diagnosis of breast cancer (author's transl)].

Mammography has been performed routinely preoperatively over the last 5 years on 278 patients with breast tumors. In 85 per cent the radiographic findings showed an exact correlation to histologic results. In 12 per cent there was only a partial correlation, in only 3 per cent the mammograpic findings could not be verified by the pathologist. The purpose of this paper is to emphasize that mammography should be considered as the prime diagnostic procedure in the diagnosis of breast disease. The examination of the breast should therefore always be followed by mammography, especially in women at risk and elderly patients. In this connection we would also like to stress the vital cooperation between the radiologist and surgeon both pre- and intraoperatively. and intraoperatively. In summary we would like to emphasize the importance of possibility to achieve a better survial rate in these patients.