Stereotactic core breast biopsy. An alternative.

Stereotactic core breast biopsy provides diagnostic accuracy equal to open surgical biopsy and is more comfortable and more cost effective than open surgical biopsy. A series of 75 patients is presented, of which 15 (20%) had positive findings, including 11 cancers and 4 atypical hyperplasias. The authors discuss indications, methods, patient preparation and results relating to this series of patients, including initial use of lateral compression for stereotactic core biopsies. This procedure promises to become the procedure of choice for nonpalpable, mammographically detected, indeterminate lesions of the breast and is likely to alter the conventional roles for the surgeon and radiologist regarding breast biopsy.