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Histological underestimation of a 9-gauge stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy system compared with surgical excision at a tertiary hospital in South Africa


Michael Pieters
Susan Otto
Gina Joubert

Abstract

Background: Breast cancer is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Certain lesions encountered on mammography require histological assessment of biopsy samples to identify benign versus malignant disease. Stereotactic vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (SVAB) is a useful technique, especially for non-palpable microcalcific lesions, and was introduced at our institution in 2011.
Objectives: To determine whether the histological underestimation from 9-gauge SVABs performed at our institution is within acceptable limits.
Method: In this cross-sectional study, 9-gauge stereotactic biopsy histology results and breast imaging and reporting data system (BI-RADS) findings of 158 lesions (from 153 patients) were analysed and the histological findings compared with surgical excision histology results (54 lesions) to determine histological underestimation (upgrade rates).
Results: One out of eight cases of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) was underestimated, yielding a DCIS underestimation rate of 12.5%.
Conclusion: The DCIS underestimation obtained from the present study in our institution was on a par with other authors’ findings and was therefore within acceptable limits. Atypical ductal hyperplasia underestimation could not be reliably obtained with the small study population.


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eISSN: 2078-6778
print ISSN: 1027-202X