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Published on: March 30, 2015
Large-core needle biopsy of nonpalpable breast lesions
J E Meyer1, D N Smith, S C Lester
1Department of Radiology, Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, Mass 02115, USA. jemeyer@bics.bwh.harvard.edu
Context:
An increasing number of nonpalpable abnormalities requiring breast biopsy are being identified due to the widespread use of screening mammography. Large-core needle biopsy (LCNB) has become an alternative to surgical excision.
Objective:
To determine whether LCNB is a safe and accurate technique to evaluate nonpalpable abnormalities found on breast imaging studies.
Design And Setting:
Case series at an institutional referral center from August 1, 1991, to December 31, 1997.
Patients:
A total of 1643 women with 1 or more suspicious breast abnormalities received LCNBs (n = 1836 lesions).
Intervention:
The LCNB of the breast uses a 14- or 11-gauge needle with stereotactic localization or ultrasound guidance.
Main Outcome Measure:
Utility and potential limitations of LCNB compared with the criterion standard, surgical excision after wire localization.
Results:
Of the 1836 breast lesions sampled, 444 (24%) were found to be malignant. A total of 412 (22%) were found to be malignant on the initial LCNB and 202 repeat biopsies yielded 32 additional malignancies. Complications were infrequent: 1 patient experienced a superficial infection and 1 developed a pneumothorax after LCNB.
Conclusion:
Image-guided LCNB is a reliable diagnostic alternative to surgical excision of suspicious nonpalpable breast abnormalities.
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