title: Immersion ultrasonography of excised nonpalpable breast lesion specimens after ultrasound-guided needle localization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Ultrasound-guided needle localization has been used prior to the surgical excision of nonpalpable breast lesions. The aim of the study was to assess the feasibility of the use of a saline immersion specimen ultrasound technique (immersion-US) to confirm the successful removal of breast lesions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The devised immersion-US technique was used to examine the excised tissues of 72 ultrasound-guided needle localized breast lesions of 58 patients (34 benign lesions, 30 high-risk lesions and 8 malignant lesions). Freshly excised specimens were placed in a container filled with saline and one radiologist scanned the surgically excised specimens using a high-frequency linear transducer. We evaluated successful lesion removal and the qualities of the immersion-US images. Miss rates were determined by the use of postoperative ultrasound during follow-up.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All 72 lesions were identified by the use of immersion-US and satisfactory or excellent quality images were obtained for most lesions (70/72, 97%). Five (7%) lesions were initially identified as incompletely excised, based on the immersion-US findings, and prompt re-excision was undertaken. Follow-up ultrasound examinations showed no residual mass in the surgical field in any patient.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The immersion-US technique was found straightforward and efficient to perform. Immersion-US was able to determine whether nonpalpable breast lesions had been successfully excised after ultrasound-guided needle localization.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Korea University Ansan Hospital, Korea University College of Medicine, Gyeonggi-do, Korea.
authors.forename: Ki Yeol
authors.initials: KY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bo Kyoung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Seo
authors.forename: Ann
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Bo-Kyung
authors.initials: BK
authors.lastname: Je
authors.forename: Kyu Ran
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Ok Hee
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Woo
authors.forename: Mi Young
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Sang Hoon
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Cha
authors.forename: Young-Sik
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Gil Soo
authors.initials: GS
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Young Soo
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000379:methods; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007101:Immersion; D008327:Mammography; D008408:Mastectomy; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary / Q000379:methods