Tissue compression is not necessary for needle-localized lesion identification.
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.
Méndez
Jane E
JE
Department of Surgery, Surgical Oncology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, 88 E. Newton St., Boston, MA 02118, USA.
ter Meulen
Deborah
D
Padussis
James
J
Richard-Kowalski
Deborah
D
Raagas
Manuel
M
Pollack
Sidney
S
O'Connor
Daniel
D
Stone
Michael D
MD
D001707:Biopsy, Needle; D001940:Breast / Q000473:pathology*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000379:methods*