Cost-effectiveness of two breast biopsy procedures: surgical biopsy versus vacuum-assisted biopsy.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to compare the cost-effectiveness of two breast biopsy procedures: surgical biopsy and vacuum-assisted biopsy (VAB).


METHODS
Between November 2008 and September 2009, 200 patients with suspicious breast lesions underwent biopsy procedures at our radiology department: 100 underwent VAB and 100 underwent surgical biopsy. 66 lesions were sampled under sonographic guidance, 109 under mammographic guidance and 25 under magnetic resonance guidance.


RESULTS
All procedures were successfully completed. No significant differences in diagnostic efficacy were found between the biopsy procedures. Surgical biopsy has a higher unit cost compared with VAB.


CONCLUSIONS
Our analysis emphasises the benefits of VAB compared with surgical biopsy in terms of both cost-effectiveness, and less invasiveness from a psychological and aesthetic point of view.
Dipartimento di Diagnostica per Immagini, Imaging Molecolare, Radiologia Interventistica e Terapia Radiante, Università degli Studi di Roma Tor Vergata (PTV), Viale Oxford 81, 00133, Rome, Italy. chiarapistolese@gmail.com
C A
CA
Pistolese
A
A
Ciarrapico
T
T
Perretta
E
E
Cossu
F
F
della Gatta
S
S
Giura
C
C
Caramanica
G
G
Simonetti
D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000191:economics* / Q000379:methods*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D053783:Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Interventional; D008327:Mammography; D015642:Radiology, Interventional; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D016217:Ultrasonography, Mammary; D014618:Vacuum