CLIP PLACEMENT AFTER STEREOTAXIC VACUUM-ASSISTED BREAST BIOPSY

PURPOSE: To assess accuracy and usefulness of placement of a localizin g clip after stereotactic, vacuum-assisted breast biopsy. MATERIALS AN D METHODS: Retrospective review was performed of 57 lesions that under went placement of a localizing clip after stereotactic vacuum-assisted biopsy with an 11-gauge (n = 42) or 14-gauge (n = 15) probe. The clip was placed when images obtained after stereotactic biopsy suggested t hat the lesion seen at mammography was removed. Coordinates of the cli p on stereotactic images obtained after placement were compared with l esion coordinates determined before biopsy. Surgery was performed in 2 5 cases. Mammographic and histopathologic findings were reviewed. RESU LTS: The distance from clip to lesion site was less than 1 cm in 40 (9 5%) of 42 lesions that underwent clip placement with the Ii-gauge prob e versus 11 (73%) of 15 lesions that underwent clip placement after 14 -gauge biopsy (P < .04). The biopsy site was identified in the surgica l specimen in 19 (100%) lesions with clips after Ii-gauge biopsy and f ive (83%) of six lesions with clips after 14-gauge biopsy. No complica tions occurred. CONCLUSION: A localizing clip can be placed in proximi ty to the stereotactic biopsy site through an Ii-gauge probe. Clip pla cement can enable accurate localization for surgical excision.