Papillary lesions of the breast: Evaluation with stereotactic directional vacuum-assisted biopsy

PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of stereotactic directional vacuum-assisted bi opsy (SDVAB) in diagnosing and managing papillary lesions of the breast. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors retrospectively reviewed the mammographi c and histopathologic findings of 26 cases in which papillary lesions were diagnosed at SDVAB. In all cases, subsequent surgical excision (n = 20) or long-term imaging follow-up (n = 6) was performed and correlated with findi ngs at SDVAB. RESULTS: SDVAB of 26 lesions yielded tissue that was classified as benign i n 12, atypical in six, and malignant in eight. Of the 12 lesions that were diagnosed as histologically benign at SDVAB, six were surgically excised. O f these six lesions, five yielded benign correlative results. The sixth les ion was thought to be discordant with the imaging findings, and was surgica lly excised and determined to be malignant. Of the six benign lesions that were not surgically sampled for biopsy, five decreased in size and one was not seen at radiographic follow-up. Of the six lesions diagnosed as atypica l at SDVAB that were surgically excised, one was benign and five were atypi cal. None proved to be malignant. Of the eight lesions diagnosed as maligna nt at SDVAB, surgical excision demonstrated ductal carcinoma in situ in all eight; two also had foci of invasive carcinoma. CONCLUSION: Benign and malignant papillary lesions of the breast can be rel iably diagnosed at SDVAB when the SDVAB results correlate with the imaging findings. However, the extent of malignant papillary disease may be underes timated at SDVAB; in our study, invasive carcinoma was later discovered in 25% of patients with this diagnosis.