Semiautomatic core biopsy. A modified biopsy technique in breast diseases.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate a semiautomatic gun to retrieve diagnostic core specimens of lesions in the breast and the axillary region.


METHODS
In a series of 180 consecutive core biopsies (2.1 mm), 145 (142 breasts and 3 axillae) were performed with a semiautomatic gun (18 stereotaxic and 127 US-guided) from lesions presenting mammographically as microcalcifications (n = 15) and opacities (n = 130). The gun did not work satisfactorily in 34 lesions, which were tumors with a very hard consistency. One additional patient was excluded because of technical failure. Biopsy diagnoses in the 145 patients were correlated to surgical histopathology, follow-up mammograms and/or clinical findings.


RESULTS
Histologic examination of the specimens resulted in correct diagnoses in 89% (129/145) of the total material and in 87% (108/124) of cancers. In 107 cases, in which only 1 specimen was obtained, 83 of 89 cancers (87%) were detected. Length of specimens ranged from 3 mm (n = 2) to 17 mm (n = 31). Among patients with a 17-mm-long specimen, there was only 1 false-negative diagnosis.


CONCLUSIONS
The semiautomatic gun provided diagnostic specimens in a majority of cases and could be used as an alternative to the automatic guns when size or location of the lesions necessitates a high precision. It was not suitable for use in very hard tumors.
Abdsaleh
S
S
Department of Radiology, The University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden. shahin.abdsaleh@rtg.uas.lul.se
Azavedo
E
E
Lindgren
P G
PG
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001365:Axilla / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014463:Ultrasonography