IMAGE-GUIDED AUTOMATED CORE BIOPSIES OF THE BREAST, CHEST, ABDOMEN, AND PELVIS

PURPOSE: A prospective study was undertaken to measure success at obtaining definitive histologic diagnoses with an automated biopsy gun technique. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Image-directed biopsies (n = 300) were performed between November 1989 and June 1992 in 288 patients. Biopsy specimens of breast lesions were obtained with ultrasound (US) or stereotaxic mammographic guidance. Biopsy samples of lesions from other areas of the body were obtained with computed tomographic or US guidance. Clinical follow-up and surgical biopsy were used to measure diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS: Overall, a definitive diagnosis was reached with core specimen biopsy techniques in 95.3% of cases (286 of 300), and all 286 definitive findings were accurate. CONCLUSION: Because of the success of this approach, the adoption of an automated biopsy gun technique that includes histologic examination of a core specimen should be considered by all radiologists who perform image-guided biopsies.