Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the vacuum-assisted stereotactic core needle biopsy (CNB) for breast lesions.
Material and method: Sixty-four lesions that had undergone vacuum-assisted stereotactic CNB between January 2003 and December 2005 in Ramathibodi Breast diagnostic center were included in this study. Pathologic results of CNB were reviewed and correlated with pathologic results of subsequent open surgery. For benign lesions without surgery, the authors correlated the result of CNB with stability of the lesion at or more than 2-year interval follow-up. Agreement rate, high-risk under estimate rate, Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) underestimate rate, false negative rate, and sensitivity were accessed
Results: The pathologic results for the CNB were malignancy in 20%, high-risk in 13%, and benign in 67%. The agreement rate was 93.8% (60 of 64). The under estimate rate for atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH) was 50% (3 of 6). There was no underestimate for DCIS in the present study. Of 43 benign lesions, malignancy was found at subsequent open surgery in one lesion and false negative rate was 6%. Calculated sensitivity was 96%.
Conclusion: Vacuum-assisted CNB is an accurate method for evaluating breast lesions. This procedure is an alternative to surgical excision for lesion assessments.