Wires should not be used routinely on skin scars for mammograms after breast-conserving surgery

The accuracy of skin wire markers on surgical incision scars during mammogr aphy to locate the primary tumor excision site was prospectively determined for 100 women. The shortest distance between the excision site and skin sc ar wire on either the craniocaudal or mediolateral oblique projection was 1 0 mm or greater in 48 per cent of patients and 20 mm or greater in 30 per c ent of patients. Wire markers placed on skin incision scars during mammogra phy after breast-conserving surgery are inadequate for the localization of the primary excision site and should not be used routinely.