15. Image-guided breast biopsy

The introduction of mammographic screening has led to an increased number of impalpable in situ and invasive breast cancers. Image-guided percutaneous biopsy in these patients has advantages over surgical biopsy, primarily cost savings and reducing the number of operations required for definitive treatment. Image-guided breast biopsy is also useful in palpable lesions. Image-guided biopsy should be used in conjunction with full clinical and imaging work-up as part of the triple assessment protocol. Techniques available include fine needle aspiration, automated needle-gun core and vacuum assisted large core biopsy. Lesions visible on ultrasound are preferentially biopsied using ultrasound guidance, while those seen only mammographically are biopsied using stereotactic guidance. Major complications are rare following image-guided biopsy. In most cases further management can be decided based on the biopsy result. If there is discordance between clinical and imaging features and the biopsy result, image-guided percutaneous biopsy should be repeated or surgical biopsy may be required.