title: Tissue compression is not necessary for needle-localized lesion identification.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Tissue compression to enhance lesion visibility on radiography of needle-localized breast biopsy specimens is widely used. We hypothesized that compression is not necessary for detection of lesions on specimen radiography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty-nine consecutive patients underwent needle-localization biopsies of 59 mammographic targets. All specimens were radiographed without and with compression. The films were later independently reviewed and compared with preoperative mammograms by 2 surgeons and a breast-imaging radiologist. The primary end point was identification of mammographic targets in noncompressed specimen radiographs.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-nine targets were masses, 36 contained calcifications, and 14 contained previously placed clips. All mammographically localized lesions were identified on noncompressed views. Overall concordance for the 2 images was 100% for all 3 reviewers and 98% among reviewers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Tissue compression before specimen radiography is not routinely necessary for target lesion identification.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, 88 E. Newton St., Boston, MA 02118, USA.
authors.forename: Jane E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Méndez
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: ter Meulen
authors.forename: James
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Padussis
authors.forename: Deborah
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Richard-Kowalski
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raagas
authors.forename: Sidney
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pollack
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: O'Connor
authors.forename: Michael D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Stone
mesh_terms: D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*