Initial Experience with a Wireless Ultrasound-Guided Vacuum-Assisted Breast Biopsy Device

PLoS One. 2015 Dec 2;10(12):e0144046. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0144046. eCollection 2015.

Abstract

Objective: To determine the imaging characteristic of frequent target lesions of wireless ultrasound (US)-guided, vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (Wi-UVAB) and to evaluate diagnostic yield, accuracy and complication of the device in indeterminate breast lesions.

Materials and methods: From March 2013 to October 2014, 114 women (age range, 29-76 years; mean age, 50.0 years) underwent Wi-UVAB using a 13-gauge needle (Mammotome Elite®; Devicor Medical Products, Cincinnati, OH, USA). In 103 lesions of 96 women with surgical (n = 81) or follow-up (n = 22) data, complications, biopsy procedure, imaging findings of biopsy targets and histologic results were reviewed.

Results: Mean number of biopsy cores was 10 (range 4-25). Nine patients developed moderate bleeding. All lesions were suspicious on US, and included non-mass lesions (67.0%) and mass lesions (33.0%). Visible calcifications on US were evident in 57.3% of the target lesions. Most of the lesions (93.2%) were nonpalpable. Sixty-six (64.1%) were malignant [ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) rate, 61%] and 12 were high-risk lesions (11.7%). Histologic underestimation was identified in 11 of 40 (27.5%). DCIS cases and in 3 of 9 (33.3%) high-risk lesions necessitating surgery. There was no false-negative case.

Conclusion: Wi-UVAB is very handy and advantageous for US-unapparent non-mass lesions to diagnose DCIS, especially for calcification cases. Histologic underestimation is unavoidable; still, Wi-UVAB is safe and accurate to diagnose a malignancy.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Biopsy, Needle / instrumentation*
  • Biopsy, Needle / methods
  • Breast / pathology*
  • Breast Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Calcinosis / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / pathology
  • Carcinoma, Intraductal, Noninfiltrating / pathology
  • False Negative Reactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Image-Guided Biopsy / instrumentation*
  • Image-Guided Biopsy / methods
  • Middle Aged
  • Ultrasonography / instrumentation*
  • Ultrasonography / methods
  • Vacuum
  • Wireless Technology / instrumentation*

Grants and funding

The authors have no support or funding to report.