BREAST CYTOPATHOLOGY

Proliferative Breast Disease 23
Figure 2.4. Usual ductal hyperplasia. A large fragment of ductal
epithelium with mildly enlarged and crowded nuclei. Note the cohesive
nature of the fragment and relative preservation of the flat,
honeycombed architecture. A closer inspection would also reveal
myoepithelial nuclei. (Smear, Papanicolaou.)
Figure 2.5. Atypical ductal hyperplasia. Breast epithelium displaying
a more complex architecture with branching and sharply punched
out spaces. Cells have enlarged and hyperchromatic nuclei. Myoepithelial
cells are often appreciated in these fragments. Note the cohesive
nature of the cellular fragments and the lack of individually
dispersed epithelial cells in the background, a feature often seen in
ductal carcinoma. (Smear, Papanicolaou.)