Mammotome biopsy: impact on preoperative diagnosis rate.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the impact of mammotome biopsy on preoperative diagnosis rate.


METHODS
A prospective study was undertaken to examine the referral patterns, radiological abnormalities, sensitivity, specificity and outcome of the first 150 patients undergoing mammotome biopsy at our institution. Most of the referrals were from the NHS Breast Screening Programme (85/100).


RESULTS
The commonest radiological abnormality was microcalcification (87%). The accuracy of this biopsy technique for the target lesion was over 99%. Post-biopsy, 11 patients needed to proceed to a diagnostic surgical biopsy (7%). Forty-two malignancies were identified at final histology; 41 were diagnosed preoperatively. The positive predictive of mammotome biopsy was 98% for the present study. The present results for mammotome biopsy with regard to predicting invasion were: sensitivity 71.4% (10/14); specificity 100% (0/0); positive predictive value 100% (10/10); and negative predictive value 87% (27/31).


CONCLUSIONS
Prone mammotome biopsy has proven to be highly accurate, considerably improving the preoperative diagnosis within our unit, and obviating the majority of diagnostic excision biopsies.
Dhillon
M S
MS
Breast Assessment Unit, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Trust, Birmingham Women's Hospital, Edgbaston, Birmingham, UK.
Bradley
S A
SA
England
D W
DW
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008403:Mass Screening / Q000379:methods; D008875:Middle Aged; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D012017:Referral and Consultation; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity