STEREOTAXIC CORE BIOPSY OF BREAST-CARCINOMA - ACCURACY AT PREDICTING INVASION

PURPOSE: To assess the accuracy with which stereotaxic core biopsy of breast carcinoma predicts the presence of invasion. MATERIALS AND METH ODS: Stereotaxic core biopsy was performed in 63 breast carcinomas in 59 patients in the prone position. All patients subsequently underwent surgery. Histopathologic results of stereotaxic core biopsy and surge ry were correlated. RESULTS: Results of stereotaxic core biopsy and su rgery were concordant in 58 (92%) of the 63 cases, yielding invasive c arcinoma in 46 cases and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) in 12 cases. Results were discordant in five cases (8%), including three cases for which stereotaxic core biopsy results indicated DCIS but surgery yield ed invasive ductal carcinoma. The positive predictive value of stereot axic core biopsy for the presence of invasion was 98% (47 of 48 cases) and the negative predictive value was 80% (12 of 15 cases). CONCLUSIO N: Stereotaxic core biopsy of breast carcinoma can help confirm invasi on with high accuracy but cannot reliably indicate the absence of tumo r invasion when only DCIS is found.