Stereotaxic localization for fine-needle aspiration breast biopsy. Initial experience with 300 patients
J. S. Mitnick, M. F. Vazquez, D. F. Roses, M. N. Harris, R. Gianutsos and J. Waisman
Department of Radiology, Kaplan Cancer Center, Tisch Hospital, New York, NY.
The efficacy of stereotaxic aspiration biopsy was evaluated in 300
consecutive patients with nonpalpable mammographic lesions. Sixty-eight
patients (23%) had suspicious or malignant aspirates; all cases were proved
malignant by subsequent examination of operative specimens. Two hundred
sixteen patients (72%) had benign aspirates. Of these, 65 were confirmed by
operation and 151 had subsequent mammography at 6- and 12-month intervals
with no demonstrable mammographic change. In 10 instances (3%), the
aspirates were atypical, and in six (2%), nondiagnostic. Biopsy specimens
were obtained in all 16 instances, and eight were malignant. The
sensitivity of stereotaxic breast aspiration for the diagnosis of cancer
was 96%, and the specificity was 100%. Our experience confirms the efficacy
of stereotaxic aspiration for the initial evaluation of mammographically
detected, nonpalpable lesions.
