Core Versus Vacuum-Assisted Postbiopsy Breast Clip Migration Rates

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Breast Imaging
• Surgical Oncology

Background:

• Biopsy clip migration is a known complication following breast biopsies.
• Clip migration can negatively impact patient care and treatment outcomes.
• Comparing migration rates between core-needle biopsy (Core) and vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the incidence of postbiopsy clip migration between Core and VAB techniques.
• To identify potential differences in clip migration rates associated with common breast biopsy methods.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 153 postbiopsy mammograms (103 Core, 50 VAB) from March 2024 to March 2025.
• Evaluation by a single radiologist to minimize inter-observer variability.
• Analysis of clinically significant migration (≥5 mm), controlling for patient age and breast density (BI-RADS).

Main Results:

• Overall, 11.76% (18/153) of biopsies showed clinically significant clip migration.
• Vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) had a significantly higher migration rate (24%) compared to Core biopsies (5.8%).
• The difference in migration rates between VAB and Core biopsies was statistically significant (p = 0.00265).

Conclusions:

• Vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB) is associated with an increased risk of clip migration compared to core-needle biopsy (Core).
• Optimizing clip deployment in VAB procedures may help reduce migration.
• Further research is needed to improve clip stability and localization accuracy.