Introduction Tuberous breast deformity (TB) is a condition mostly characterized by breast stenosis, areolar widening and glandular asymmetry. The most accredited hypothesis describes an abnormal thickening of the fascia corporis that might influence an alteration in the glandular development, limiting the horizontal growth of breast parenchyma. Alterations in the extracellular matrix components (ECM) might be involved in the abnormal breast development.Patients The aim of our case control study is to use histological specimens to analyze qualitative and quantitative differences in collagen fibers, elastic fibers and vessel densities in TB and normal breasts of 20 patients using a software for digital pathology.Results The quantitative findings showed increasing concentrations of collagen fibers and decreasing elastic fibers in TB, compared to normal breasts. No difference was seen in vessel density among the two groups. The qualitative findings highlighted differences in the distribution of the ECM among the TB specimens. Collagen fibers showed a packed appearance rather a scattered distribution, while elastic fibers visibly presented a reduction and a focal distribution of their concentration.Conclusions The study proposes a correlation between abnormalities in ECM concentrations and TB, resulting in a higher degree of fibrosis and in the characteristic stenotic and less elastic morphology of the deformity.

Quantitative Analysis of the Histological Features of Tuberous Breast / F. Klinger, V. Vinci, A. Lozito, B. Agnelli, A. Lisa, A. Battistini, S. Bonovas, D. Piovani, M. Klinger, L. Di Tommaso. - In: AESTHETIC PLASTIC SURGERY. - ISSN 0364-216X. - 47:2(2023 Apr), pp. 605-611. [10.1007/s00266-022-03127-8]

Quantitative Analysis of the Histological Features of Tuberous Breast

F. Klinger
Primo
;
A. Battistini;S. Bonovas;M. Klinger
Penultimo
;
2023

Abstract

Introduction Tuberous breast deformity (TB) is a condition mostly characterized by breast stenosis, areolar widening and glandular asymmetry. The most accredited hypothesis describes an abnormal thickening of the fascia corporis that might influence an alteration in the glandular development, limiting the horizontal growth of breast parenchyma. Alterations in the extracellular matrix components (ECM) might be involved in the abnormal breast development.Patients The aim of our case control study is to use histological specimens to analyze qualitative and quantitative differences in collagen fibers, elastic fibers and vessel densities in TB and normal breasts of 20 patients using a software for digital pathology.Results The quantitative findings showed increasing concentrations of collagen fibers and decreasing elastic fibers in TB, compared to normal breasts. No difference was seen in vessel density among the two groups. The qualitative findings highlighted differences in the distribution of the ECM among the TB specimens. Collagen fibers showed a packed appearance rather a scattered distribution, while elastic fibers visibly presented a reduction and a focal distribution of their concentration.Conclusions The study proposes a correlation between abnormalities in ECM concentrations and TB, resulting in a higher degree of fibrosis and in the characteristic stenotic and less elastic morphology of the deformity.
Breast asymmetry; Constricted breast; Digital pathology; Extracellular matrix; Histological evaluation; Tuberous breast deformity
Settore MED/19 - Chirurgia Plastica
apr-2023
ott-2022
Article (author)
File in questo prodotto:
File Dimensione Formato  
s00266-022-03127-8.pdf

accesso riservato

Descrizione: Original Article
Tipologia: Publisher's version/PDF
Dimensione 2.42 MB
Formato Adobe PDF
2.42 MB Adobe PDF   Visualizza/Apri   Richiedi una copia
Pubblicazioni consigliate

I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.

Utilizza questo identificativo per citare o creare un link a questo documento: https://hdl.handle.net/2434/970133
Citazioni
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.pmc??? 0
  • Scopus 3
  • ???jsp.display-item.citation.isi??? 3
social impact