The accuracy of frozen section analysis in ultrasound- guided core needle biopsy of breast lesions

• Published in: BMC cancer Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 341
• Main Authors: Brunner, Andreas H, Sagmeister, Thomas, Kremer, Jolanta, Riss, Paul, Brustmann, Hermann
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London BioMed Central 24.09.2009; BioMed Central Ltd; BMC
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Biomedical and Life Sciences; Biomedicine; Biopsy - instrumentation; Biopsy - methods; Biopsy, Needle; Breast - pathology; Breast cancer; Breast Neoplasms - diagnosis; Breast Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Breast Neoplasms - pathology; Cancer Research; Diagnosis; Female; Frozen Sections - methods; Health aspects; Health Promotion and Disease Prevention; Humans; Medicine/Public Health; Middle Aged; Oncology; Research Article; Retrospective Studies; Sensitivity and Specificity; Surgical Oncology; Ultrasonography, Mammary; Austria; Freeze Section; Freeze Section Examination; Freeze Section Analysis; Breast Lesion; Core Needle Biopsy
• ISSN: 1471-2407; 1471-2407
• DOI: 10.1186/1471-2407-9-341

Background Limited data are available to evaluate the accuracy of frozen section analysis and ultrasound- guided core needle biopsy of the breast. Methods In a retrospective analysis data of 120 consecutive handheldultrasound- guided 14- gauge automated core needle biopsies (CNB) in 109 consecutive patients with breast lesions between 2006 and 2007 were evaluated. Results In our outpatient clinic120 CNB were performed. In 59/120 (49.2%) cases we compared histological diagnosis on frozen sections with those on paraffin sections of CNB and finally with the result of open biopsy. Of the cases 42/59 (71.2%) were proved to be malignant and 17/59 (28.8%) to be benign in the definitive histology. 2/59 (3.3%) biopsies had a false negative frozen section result. No false positive results of the intraoperative frozen section analysis were obtained, resulting in a sensitivity, specificity and positive predicting value (PPV) and negative predicting value (NPV) of 95%, 100%, 100% and 90%, respectively. Histological and morphobiological parameters did not show up relevance for correct frozen section analysis. In cases of malignancy time between diagnosis and definitive treatment could not be reduced due to frozen section analysis. Conclusion The frozen section analysis of suspect breast lesions performed by CNB displays good sensitivity/specificity characteristics. Immediate investigations of CNB is an accurate diagnostic tool and an important step in reducing psychological strain by minimizing the period of uncertainty in patients with breast tumor.