The development and evaluation of a three-dimensional ultrasound-guided breast biopsy apparatus.
We have designed a prototype three-dimensional ultrasound guidance (3D USB) apparatus to improve the breast biopsy procedure. Features from stereotactic mammography and free-hand US-guided biopsy have been combined with 3D US imaging. This breast biopsy apparatus accurately guides a needle into position for the sampling of target tissue. We have evaluated this apparatus in three stages. First, by testing the placement accuracy of a needle in a tissue mimicking phantom. Second, with tissue mimicking phantoms that had embedded lesions for biopsy. Finally, by comparison to free-hand US-guided biopsy, using chicken breast phantoms. The first two stages of evaluation quantified the mechanical biases in the 3D USB apparatus. Compensating for these, a 96% success rate in targeting 3.2 mm "lesions" in chicken breast phantoms was achieved when using the 3D USB apparatus. The expert radiologists performing biopsies with free-hand US guidance achieved a 94.5% success rate. This has proven an equivalence between our apparatus, operated by non-experts, and free-hand biopsy performed by expert radiologists, for 3.2 mm lesions in vitro, with a 95% confidence.
Surry
K J M
KJ
Imaging Research Laboratories, John P. Robarts Research Institute, PO Box 5015, 100 Perth Drive, London, Ontario, Canada N6A 5K8. kath@irus.rri.ca
Smith
W L
WL
Campbell
L J
LJ
Mills
G R
GR
Downey
D B
DB
Fenster
A
A
D000818:Animals; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D002645:Chickens; D003196:Computer Graphics; D004867:Equipment Design; D019544:Equipment Failure Analysis; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D015233:Models, Statistical; D019047:Phantoms, Imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation*; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods