STEREOTAXIC CYTOLOGY IN A REGIONAL BREAST-SCREENING PROGRAM

Stereotactic localization and fine-needle aspiration are new procedure s for the management of non-palpable mammographic abnormalities. In th is prospective study, stereo-tactically guided cytology with immediate reporting was performed before biopsy in a consecutive series of 166 patients with screen-detected non-palpable abnormalities. All specimen s were obtained by multiple stereotactically guided passes with a 22-G Franzen needle and graded as: 1, acellular or inadequate; 2, benign; 3, atypical, probably benign; 4, probably malignant; or 5, malignant. After definitive surgery all tumours were staged according to the Unio n Internacional Contra la Cancrum classification. Of 71 patients with malignancy, 56 were correctly diagnosed by cytology before operation. Twelve patients with malignancy had grade 1 cytology and 50 of the 52 with grade 2 cytology had benign disease. This study confirms that ste reotactic cytology is a valuable diagnostic test in a breast-screening programme.