A manipulator system for 14-gauge large core breast biopsies inside a high-field whole-body MR scanner.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate a robotic manipulator system for MR-guided breast biopsies inside a 1.5 T whole-body magnet.


METHODS
Fourteen patients with suspicious breast lesions (diameter 18.6 +/- 12 mm) underwent biopsy. Patients with malignant findings underwent surgery afterwards and the histologic findings between biopsy and surgery were correlated.


RESULTS
In five patients biopsy findings were histopathologically confirmed following open surgery. One tubular carcinoma was missed; one invasive cancer was underestimated. Seven patients with benign findings are still in the follow-up period.


CONCLUSIONS
The study demonstrates the feasibility to perform breast biopsies inside the magnet of a whole-body MR scanner by using a manipulator system.
Pfleiderer
Stefan O R
SO
Institute of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena, Jena, Germany. stefan.pfleiderer@med.uni-jena.de
Reichenbach
Jürgen R
JR
Azhari
Tarek
T
Marx
Christiane
C
Malich
Ansgar
A
Schneider
Achim
A
Vagner
Jörg
J
Fischer
Harald
H
Kaiser
Werner A
WA
D001706:Biopsy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001941:Breast Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012371:Robotics