Triple diagnosis in carcinoma of the breast: a replacement for open biopsy

Using the combination of clinical diagnosis, mammography and fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNA) as a "triple diagnosis" to guide management of carcinoma of the breast, we retrospectively reviewed 46 patients with FNA diagnosis of carcinoma of the breast in Ramathibodi Hospital from 1993 to 1995. Pathological diagnosis was available in 36 cases and used as a gold standard. Clinical diagnosis alone was accurate in 28 of 36 cases. Mammography was available in 24 cases of which the diagnosis was accurate in 22 cases. Triple diagnosis was available in 19 cases and all were accurate. Using this approach and review of the literature, we suggest that triple diagnosis could replace an open biopsy in diagnosis of carcinoma of the breast.