title: Frozen section examination of breast biopsies. Practice parameter.
abstract: Traditionally, if the clinical diagnosis is cancer, fresh breast tissue is submitted for frozen section examination before immediate mastectomy. Although this is still true, many breast biopsies are currently performed as outpatient procedures in the setting of an abnormal mammogram or a vaguely palpable abnormality. Frequently the lesion is small (less than 1.0 cm.) or is not grossly visible. The appropriate pathologic examination of breast biopsy material is determined by whether it is a mass or only a cluster of calcifications seen on a mammogram. Each breast biopsy specimen must be handled in a manner that will maximize the opportunity to arrive at the correct histologic diagnosis. In many instances, this means that a frozen section examination is contraindicated.
authors: Department of Pathology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville.
authors: R E
authors: RE
authors: Fechner
mesh_terms: D001706:Biopsy; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D005629:Frozen Sections; D006801:Humans; D008327:Mammography; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic