Stereotactic breast biopsy: a six-year surgical experience

A retrospective review was done of all stereotactic breast biopsies performed at the Central Baptist Hospital Breast Center from February 1994 through December 1999. A total of 1,080 biopsies were performed in 1,026 patients, all by surgeons working independently. Masses were biopsied in 54% and calcifications in 40%. Eighteen percent of biopsies were malignant. The most common benign diagnosis was fibrocystic disease (72%), followed by fibroadenoma (19%), lymph node (2%), and papilloma (2%). The most common malignant diagnosis was invasive ductal carcinoma (40%) followed by ductal carcinoma in situ (32%) and mixed invasive and in situ ductal carcinoma (19%). A prebiopsy BI-RADS mammographic Category III was associated with a 2% incidence of malignancy; Category IV--17%; Category V--90%. Atypical ductal hyperplasia on stereotactic biopsy was upgraded to a malignant diagnosis after reexcision in 19% of the cases. The false-negative rate was 0.4% (sensitivity 99%) and the complication rate was 3%, mostly related to bleeding. Stereotactic biopsy is a safe and accurate technique for the minimally-invasive diagnosis of abnormal mammograms.