A comparison of spring-loaded and vacuum-assisted techniques for stereotactic breast biopsy of impalpable microcalcification lesions: experience at Chang Gung Memorial Hospital at Linkou.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to assess the diagnostic performance of stereotactic core needle breast biopsy using spring-loaded or vacuum-assisted techniques for impalpable microcalcification lesions in Taiwanese women. METHODS We retrospectively reviewed the data of patients who received stereotactic core needle breast biopsy for impalpable mammographic microcalcification lesions from January 1999 to February 2009. The accuracy, false negative rate, ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) upgrade rate and rate of concordance with biopsy procedures were determined. We also compared the diagnostic performance between the vacuum-assisted and spring-loaded techniques. RESULTS A total of 335 breast stereotactic core needle biopsy procedures (218 by spring-loaded and 117 by vacuum-assisted technique) were enrolled for analysis. The overall accuracy, false negative rate, DCIS upgrade rate and concordance rate with stereotactic core needle biopsy were 88.5%, 17.3%, 23.1% and 83.8% respectively. The vacuum-assisted technique yielded better results than the spring-loaded technique in accuracy (100% vs. 84%), and the false negative (7.1% vs. 21%), DCIS upgrade (0% vs. 37.5%), and concordance rates (95% vs. 79.6%). CONCLUSION Stereotactic core needle biopsy is a feasible technique in diagnosing impalpable microcalcification lesions of the breast in Taiwanese women. The diagnostic performance of the vacuum-assisted technique was better than that of the spring-loaded technique.