NON PALPABLE BREAST-LESIONS - PREOPERATIVE SONOGRAPHIC LOCALIZATION

From 1987 to 1992 at our Institute, 253 patients with non palpable bre ast lesions (NBPL) underwent a surgical excision. Fifty-one lesions (1 9.7%) were localized by an injection of a sterile 3% charcoal suspensi on under sonographic guide. The sonographic features of NBPL were clas sified as follows: positive in one case (2%), doubtful in 31 cases (60 %) and negative in 19 cases (38%). According to our data the preoperat ive sonographic localization is a useful alternative procedure to ster eotactis mammography in case of breast masses and/or areas of increase d tissue density or distorted breast architecture.