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Figure 1
This histopathology slide was created from tissue removed during a mastectomy, and specifically stained for collagen. When viewed with a light microscope, two large ducts, A and B, are visible in the central section. There is no cancer in these ducts. The specific staining reveals that the `flat' areas surrounding these ducts which appear to contain no fibrous collagenous material are actually hyalinized collagenous tissue. The tissue in these hyalinized sections is extremely dense; in fact, a hypodermic needle will bend rather than pass through it. There is almost no fat in these flattened areas and, as a result of this, the two large ducts are drawn abnormally close to each other. Between these two areas of very dense hyalinized collagenous tissue is an area of normal fibrous stroma. At the bottom of the slide, ductal carcinoma is revealed within a third duct and this duct is also surrounded by hyalinized tissue.

Journal logoJOURNAL OF
SYNCHROTRON
RADIATION
ISSN: 1600-5775
Volume 9| Part 2| February 2002| Pages 71-76
doi:10.1107/S0909049502001504
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