Ultrasound Guided Localization and Excisional Biopsy of Nonpalpable Breast lesions

ABSTRACT

Nonpalpable breast abnormalities which require excision and biopsy usually require marker localization. Many of these abnormalities are visible on ultrasound and this imaging technique can be used to guide fine needle aspiration and the placement of a wire marker prior to surgical excision. A non-invasive technique which does not require placement of a wire marker would offer significant advantages, being more pleasant for the patient and less demanding on resources. We attempted to localize 36 nonpalpable breast masses with non-invasive ultrasound marker technique at the department of general surgery, Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital, between January 1994 and February 1995. Cases clearly visible on ultrasound, whether on mammography(15 patients) or not(17 patients), underwent non-invasive ultrasound localization. In all cases the abnormality was easily identified and removed during surgery. The surgical biopsies contained fibroadenoma(19 cases), fibrocystic disease(12 cases), epithelial hyperplasia(1 case), intraductal papilloma(1 case), parasitic disease(1 case) and infiltrating ductal carcinoma(2 cases). The average age was 43 years old.. This non-invasive technique is a simple and accurate method for localizing small ultrasonically visible nonpalpable breast abnormalities, especially in younger female patient with dense breast, though further trials and studies will be attempted.