Stereotactic Biopsy: Advantages and Limitations

Abstract

: Percutaneous-needle biopsy of breast lesions has become an accepted method for definitive diagnosis of many women with impalpable breast lesions that are worrisome for carcinoma. The incorporation of this technique into a clinical practice requires that the physician who recommends this procedure and the one who performs it must understand the advantages and limitations it offers in the various clinical settings in which it might be utilized. Percutaneous-needle biopsy can be performed with either x-ray (stereotactic) or ultrasound imaging guidance. The biopsy can be done with fine-needle aspiration to obtain cells for cytology or with coreneedle biopsy to obtain tissue for histologic assessment. This article will review the applications and limitations of stereotactic-needle biopsy (SNB). Because core biopsy is most frequently performed in the United States, stereotactic core needle biopsy (SCNB) will be emphasized.