Mainiero M B, Philpotts L E, Lee C H, Lange R C, Carter D, Tocino I
Department of Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Connecticut 06520-8042, USA.
Radiology. 1996 Mar;198(3):665-9. doi: 10.1148/radiology.198.3.8628852.
To determine if lesion size or number of calcifications affects the ability to obtain microcalcifications or a specific histologic diagnosis at stereotaxic core needle biopsy (SCNB).
Mammographic findings and histopathologic reports of 138 lesions in 124 patients (aged 30-87 years; mean age, 56.2 years) who underwent SCNB of calcifications were reviewed. Calcifications in the specimen and attainment of a specific diagnosis were correlated with lesion size and number of calcifications.
Calcifications were obtained in 118 cases (86%). A specific diagnosis was reported in 72 cases (52%). Differences in retrieval of calcifications or ability to establish a specific diagnosis with decreasing lesion size or decreasing number of calcifications were not statistically significant. Attainment of a specific diagnosis was significantly related to retrieval of calcifications (P<.005).
SCNB was successful in obtaining calcifications in a high percentage of cases regardless of lesion size or number of calcifications. When calcifications were retrieved, a specific diagnosis was attained in most cases (72 of 118).
