VACUUM PUNCH BIOPSY UNDER DIGITAL STEREOTAXIC CONTROL - A NEW METHOD FOR PERCUTANEOUS DIAGNOSTIC MAMMOGRAPHIC BIOPSIES - EARLY EXPERIENCE

Purpose: To evaluate a digital, stereotactically controlled vacuum pun ch biopsy method. Material and method: In (60)/(61) female patients a vacuum punch biopsy (14 G) was performed under digital stereotactic co ntrol; by means of a single biopsy 1-2 cm(3) of tissue was obtained. I n one patient the examination could not be carried out because of insu fficient microcalcification. Excision biopsies were performed because of doubtful microcalcification (24), focal lesions (35) or abnormal ti ssue architecture (1). Results: 48 of the biopsies proved benign, 2 sh owed dysplasias, 5 in situ and 5 invasive carcinomas. In all cases the histological and radiological diagnoses were in agreement. The possib ility of a non-representative biopsy could be excluded with a high deg ree of certainty because of the accurate localisation and the coherent tissue samples; this produced significant increase in diagnostic cert ainty. Subsequent haematomas seen mammographically ((58)/(60)) are sma ller (1-1.5 cm) than for conventional percutaneous punch biopsies beca use of the effect of suction. The examination was well tolerated (ther e were no significant haematomas and no infection). Problems consisted of one case of bleeding (due to little experience) and one incorrect localisation which was immediately recognised. Discussion: If the high degree of accuracy, which is expected, can be confirmed, the procedur e would appear suitable for replacing diagnostic operative biopsies of non-characteristic mammographic finding.