Low-cost phantoms for training of stereotactic vacuum-assisted biopsy of the breast.

To test low-cost phantoms for training in stereotactic breast biopsy, we prepared eggplant with calcium powder; gelatin and turkey breast with coarse salt, peppercorns, and calcium powder, respectively; and short-bread pastry with salt. Three to 12 cores were harvested with an 11-gauge vacuum biopsy unit. Mammography images were taken before and after biopsy and from the biopsy cores. The pastry phantom provided the best simulation of microcalcifications for stereotactic biopsy with realistic cores, long durability, and short preparation time. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.