The Clinical Utility of a Adding Lateral Approach to Conventional Vertical Approach for Prone Stereotactic Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the clinical utility of adding lateral approach to conventional vertical approach for prone stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From April 2010 to May 2012, 130 vacuum-assisted stereotactic biopsies were attempted in 127 patients. While a vertical approach was preferred, a lateral approach was used if the vertical approach failed. The success rate of biopsies utilizing only a vertical approach was compared with that using both vertical and lateral approaches and the breast thickness for both procedures was measured and compared with that for vertical approach. In addition, pathology results were evaluated and the causes of the failed biopsies were analyzed. RESULTS: Of the 130 cases, 127 biopsies were performed and 3 biopsies failed. The success rate of the vertical approach was 83.8% (109/130); however, when the lateral approach was also used, the success rate increased to 97.7% (127/130) (p = 0.0004). The mean breast thickness was 2.7 +/- 1 cm for the lateral approach and 4 +/- 1.2 cm for the vertical approach (p < 0.0001). The histopathologic results in 76 (59.8%) of the biopsies were benign, 23 (18.1%) were high-risk lesions, and 28 (22.0%) were malignant. The causes of biopsy failure were thin breasts (n = 2) and undetected difficult lesion location (n = 1). CONCLUSION: The addition of lateral approach to conventional vertical approach in prone stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy improved the success rate of stereotactic biopsy, especially in patients with thin breasts.

Diffuse Infiltrative Lesion of the Breast: Clinical and Radiologic Features

The purpose of this paper is to show the clinical and radiologic features of a variety of diffuse, infiltrative breast lesions, as well to review the relevant literature. Radiologists must be familiar with the various conditions that can diffusely involve the breast, including normal physiologic changes, benign disease and malignant neoplasm.