US-guided core needle biopsy: false-negatives. How to reduce them?

B3 Breast Lesions: Positive Predictive Value and Follow-Up on a Large Single-Institution Series

INTRODUCTION

Lesions of uncertain malignant potential (B3) represent 10% of core needle biopsies (CNBs) or vacuum-assisted breast biopsies (VABBs). Traditionally, B3 lesions are operated on. This study investigated the association between B3 subtypes and malignancy to determine the best management.

METHODS

Pre- and postoperative histological reports from 226 patients, who had undergone excisional surgery for B3 lesions, following CNB or VABB, were retrospectively analyzed. The correlation between the CNB/VABB diagnosis and the final pathology was investigated, along with the correlation between malignancy upgrade and the type of mammographic lesion. The positive predictive value (PPV) of malignancy of B3 lesions was calculated by simple logistic regression. Patients without cancer diagnosis underwent a 7-y follow-up.

RESULTS

Pathology showed 171 (75.6%) benign and 55 (24.3%) malignant lesions. The PPV was 24.3% (P = 0.043), including 31 (13.7%) ductal carcinomas in situ and 24 (10.6%) invasive carcinomas. The most frequently upgraded lesions were atypical ductal hyperplasia, 34.2% (P = 0.004), followed by lobular intraepithelial neoplasia, 27.5% (P = 0.025). The median diameter of mammographic lesions was 1.5 [0.9-2.5] cm, while for surgical specimens, it was 5 [4-7] cm (P < 0.0001). Mammographic findings and histology showed a significant correlation (P = 0.038). After a 7-y follow-up, 15 (8.9%) patients developed carcinoma, and 7 patients (4%) developed a new B3 lesion.

CONCLUSIONS

We can conclude that atypical ductal hyperplasia and lobular intraepithelial neoplasia still require surgery for a significant PPV. Other types that lacked significance or confidence intervals were too wide to draw any conclusion.

Image-guided breast biopsy and localisation: recommendations for information to women and referring physicians by the European Society of Breast Imaging

We summarise here the information to be provided to women and referring physicians about percutaneous breast biopsy and lesion localisation under imaging guidance. After explaining why a preoperative diagnosis with a percutaneous biopsy is preferred to surgical biopsy, we illustrate the criteria used by radiologists for choosing the most appropriate combination of device type for sampling and imaging technique for guidance. Then, we describe the commonly used devices, from fine-needle sampling to tissue biopsy with larger needles, namely core needle biopsy and vacuum-assisted biopsy, and how mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging work for targeting the lesion for sampling or localisation. The differences among the techniques available for localisation (carbon marking, metallic wire, radiotracer injection, radioactive seed, and magnetic seed localisation) are illustrated. Type and rate of possible complications are described and the issue of concomitant antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy is also addressed. The importance of pathological-radiological correlation is highlighted: when evaluating the results of any needle sampling, the radiologist must check the concordance between the cytology/pathology report of the sample and the radiological appearance of the biopsied lesion. We recommend that special attention is paid to a proper and tactful approach when communicating to the woman the need for tissue sampling as well as the possibility of cancer diagnosis, repeat tissue sampling, and or even surgery when tissue sampling shows a lesion with uncertain malignant potential (also referred to as "high-risk" or B3 lesions). Finally, seven frequently asked questions are answered.

Ultrasonography-guided 14-gauge core biopsy of the breast: results of 7 years of experience

PURPOSE

This study assessed the outcomes of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsies (CNBs) of breast lesions with at least 2 years of follow-up to determine the false-negative rate and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CNB.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed 13,254 consecutive US-guided 14-gauge CNBs for breast lesions. We excluded biopsies if non-malignant biopsy result was not confirmed by surgical excision or US-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy, or fewer than 2 years of follow-up data were available. A total of 4,186 biopsies were excluded, and 9,068 breast masses from 7,039 women were included. The pathologic findings from each CNB were assessed using the standard diagnostic reference, defined based on the results of surgical excision, vacuum-assisted biopsy, or at least 2 years of long-term imaging follow-up. The false-negative rate and underestimation rate were calculated.

RESULTS

Of the 9,068 CNBs, benign pathology was found in 64.2%, high-risk results in 3.5%, and malignant results in 32.3%. Of the 5,821 benign CNBs, an additional malignancy was found at excision in 63 lesions, leading to a false-negative rate of 2.0% (63 of 3,067). The underestimation rate was 33.6% (111 of 330) for ductal carcinoma in situ and 24.5% (79 of 322) for high-risk results at surgical excision. Most false-negative diagnoses (84.1%, 53 of 63) were recognized through imaging-histology correlations, and immediate rebiopsies were performed. Ten malignancies (15.9%, 10 of 63) had delayed diagnoses and showed progression in follow-up US imaging.

CONCLUSION

US-guided 14-gauge CNB provided optimal diagnostic information. Imaging-histology correlations and appropriate imaging follow-up should be performed to avoid delayed diagnoses.

Comparison of the accuracy of US-guided biopsy of breast masses performed with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge automated cutting needle biopsy devices, and review of the literature

OBJECTIVE

To compare the diagnostic accuracy of ultrasound (US)-guided core needle biopsy (CNB) of breast masses performed with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 1,112 patients who underwent US-guided breast CNB with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles. Cases with surgical excision or a minimum of 2 years of imaging follow-up were included. Rates of sample inadequacy, discordance with surgical or imaging findings and upgrade of DCIS to invasive cancer or high-risk lesion to in situ or invasive cancer were computed for each needle size.

RESULTS

The study included 703 CNBs: 203 performed with 14-gauge, 235 with 16-gauge and 265 with 18-gauge needles. There were no significant differences between 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles in rates of specimen inadequacy (0 %, 0.4 % and 1.9 %, respectively) (p = 0.084); surgical discordance (2.6 %, 2.9 % and 3.8 %) (p = 0.76); imaging discordance (0 %, 0 % and 2 %) (p = 1.0); DCIS upgrade (43 %, 43 % and 36 %) (p = 1.00) or high-risk lesion upgrade (38 %, 25 % and 55 %) (p = 0.49).

CONCLUSION

There was no statistically significant difference in diagnostic accuracy of US-guided CNB of breast masses performed with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles.

KEY POINTS

• Percutaneous image-guided breast core needle biopsy (CNB) is the standard of care. • Breast CNB with 14-gauge, 16-gauge and 18-gauge needles has similar diagnostic accuracy. • Smaller gauge needles can be confidently used for ultrasound-guided breast CNB.

Confocal fluorescence microscopy for rapid evaluation of invasive tumor cellularity of inflammatory breast carcinoma core needle biopsies

Tissue sampling is a problematic issue for inflammatory breast carcinoma, and immediate evaluation following core needle biopsy is needed to evaluate specimen adequacy. We sought to determine if confocal fluorescence microscopy provides sufficient resolution to evaluate specimen adequacy by comparing invasive tumor cellularity estimated from standard histologic images to invasive tumor cellularity estimated from confocal images of breast core needle biopsy specimens. Grayscale confocal fluorescence images of breast core needle biopsy specimens were acquired following proflavine application. A breast-dedicated pathologist evaluated invasive tumor cellularity in histologic images with hematoxylin and eosin staining and in grayscale and false-colored confocal images of cores. Agreement between cellularity estimates was quantified using a kappa coefficient. 23 cores from 23 patients with suspected inflammatory breast carcinoma were imaged. Confocal images were acquired in an average of less than 2 min per core. Invasive tumor cellularity estimated from histologic and grayscale confocal images showed moderate agreement by kappa coefficient: κ = 0.48 ± 0.09 (p < 0.001). Grayscale confocal images require less than 2 min for acquisition and allow for evaluation of invasive tumor cellularity in breast core needle biopsy specimens with moderate agreement to histologic images. We show that confocal fluorescence microscopy can be performed immediately following specimen acquisition and could indicate the need for additional biopsies at the initial visit.