Sonographical breast biopsy: how many core biopsy specimens are needed?

• Published in: RöFo : Fortschritte auf dem Gebiet der Röntgenstrahlen und der bildgebende Verfahren Vol. 175; no. 1; p. 94
• Main Authors: Schulz-Wendtland, R, Aichinger, U, Krämer, S, Tartsch, M, Kuchar, I, Magener, A, Bautz, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: German
• Published: Germany 01-01-2003
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biopsy, Needle - methods; Breast - pathology; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Female; Humans; Mammography; Middle Aged; Prospective Studies; Ultrasonography, Mammary
• ISSN: 1438-9029
• DOI: 10.1055/s-2003-36599

To determine the optimum number of specimens of a sonographically guided core biopsy of the breast.
From January 2001 to April 2001, sonographically guided core biopsies (coaxial needle: 11 G; core needle: 12 G) were performed on 106 patients with 115 BI-RADS trade mark 4-5 lesions that had corresponding sonographic findings. Five specimens were obtained in anteroposterior direction parallel to the chest wall and each specimen examined histologically.
A total of 575 core biopsies produced 545 specimens (94.8 %), with no material obtained in 30 biopsies (5.2 %). The first and second specimen confirmed the diagnosis in 99 of 115 lesions (86 %), with subsequent specimens confirming the diagnosis in 87 % (3 rd specimen), 88 % (4 th specimen) and 82 % (5 th specimen). The additive accuracy of the five core breast specimens was 86 %, 96 %, 98 %, 99 % and 100 %. The possible volume of 78.9 mm 3 as determined by the sample notch of the core needle only furnished an average volume of 38.1 mm 3 (41.1 mm 3 for the 1 st, 40.1 mm 3 for the 2 nd, 37.5 mm 3 for the 3 rd, 36.7 mm 3 for the 4 th and 35.0 mm 3 for 5 th core specimen).
Sonographically guided core breast biopsy (coaxial needle: 11 G; core needle: 12 G) may require five passes to achieve a diagnostic accuracy of more than 99 %.