Values of pathological analysis of lost tissue fragments in the vacuum canister during a vacuum-assisted stereotactic biopsy of the breast.

Objective: Determine values of pathological analysis of the canister content during a vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB).

Methods: Approval was obtained from the ethical committee. Prospective radiological and pathological analyses of the canister content collected during 231 VABBs performed on 231 patients were carried out. χ(2) test was used to determine predictors on canister pathology.

Results: The canister pathology was reported separately in 212 cases. It showed only blood in 78/212 (37%) cases and benign (including high-risk lesions) and malignant results in, respectively, 113/212 (53%) and 21/212 (10%) cases. Respective specimen analysis was benign, including high-risk lesions in 162/212 cases (76%) and malignant in 50/212 (24%) cases. Microcalcifications were documented on canister X-ray in 70/231 (30%) cases. There was significant association between the canister and the specimen pathology (p<0.0001). In none of the cases was microcalcifications seen exclusively in the canister content or pathological upgrading found in the canister content compared with the specimen.

Conclusion: Small tissue fragments and microcalcifications may be lost in the canister during a VABB. Nevertheless, our results did not show any significant value for systematic analysis of the canister content.

Advances In Knowledge: There is no added diagnostic value to retrieval and analysis of tissue lost in the canister during a VABB.