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Updated: Oct 1, 2025
Electromagnetic Navigation Transthoracic Nodule Localization for Minimally Invasive Thoracic Surgery
Published on: May 4, 2022
Clinical Outcomes Using Magnetic Seeds as a Non-wire, Non-radioactive Alternative for Localization of Non-palpable
Diana H Liang1, Dalliah Black1, Min Yi1
1Department of Breast Surgical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler Street, FCT 7.5010, Houston, TX, USA.
Background:
Nonpalpable breast lesions require precise preoperative localization to facilitate negative margins with breast-conserving therapy. The traditional use of wires has several challenges including patient discomfort, wire migration, and coordination of schedules between radiology and the operating room. Radioactive seed localization overcomes some of these challenges, but radiation safety requirements have limited adoption of this technology. The authors examined their institutional experience with Magseed as an alternative technology for localization and compared outcomes with those of wire and radioactive seed localization.
Methods:
An institutional review board (IRB)-approved retrospective study was performed to evaluate patients who underwent excisional biopsy or segmental mastectomy after wire-guided localization (WGL), radioactive seed localization (RSL), or Magseed localization (ML). The clinical and pathologic factors of the three groups were assessed with a negative margin rate as the primary outcome measure.
Results:
Of the 1835 patients in the study, 825 underwent WGL, 449 underwent RSL, and 561 underwent ML. For the patients with either multiple lesions or a large lesion that required bracketing, multiple localization devices were placed in 31% of the WGL patients, 28% of the RSL patients, and 23% of the ML patients (p = 0.006). Negative margins were achieved in 91% of the WGL patients, 89% of the RSL patients, and 89% of the ML patients (p = 0.4).
Conclusion:
Localization of non-palpable breast lesions using Magseed is a safe and effective alternative to WGL and RSL that overcomes radiation safety limitations and increases radiology and surgery scheduling efficiency.
