Image-guided breast biopsy and localisation: recommendations for information to women and referring physicians by the European Society of Breast Imaging.
Apollo (University of Cambridge)
Abstract
We summarise here the information to be provided to women and referring physicians about percutaneous breast biopsy and lesion localisation under imaging guidance. After explaining why a preoperative diagnosis with a percutaneous biopsy is preferred to surgical biopsy, we illustrate the criteria used by radiologists for choosing the most appropriate combination of device type for sampling and imaging technique for guidance. Then, we describe the commonly used devices, from fine-needle sampling to tissue biopsy with larger needles, namely core needle biopsy and vacuum-assisted biopsy, and how mammography, digital breast tomosynthesis, ultrasound, or magnetic resonance imaging work for targeting the lesion for sampling or localisation. The differences among the techniques available for localisation (carbon marking, metallic wire, radiotracer injection, radioactive seed, and magnetic seed localisation) are illustrated. Type and rate of possible complications are described and the issue of concomitant antiplatelet or anticoagulant therapy is also addressed. The importance of pathological-radiological correlation is highlighted: when evaluating the results of any needle sampling, the radiologist must check the concordance between the cytology/pathology report of the sample and the radiological appearance of the biopsied lesion. We recommend that special attention is paid to a proper and tactful approach when communicating to the woman the need for tissue sampling as well as the possibility of cancer diagnosis, repeat tissue sampling, and or even surgery when tissue sampling shows a lesion with uncertain malignant potential (also referred to as "high-risk" or B3 lesions). Finally, seven frequently asked questions are answered.
Authors 41
-
Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin
Affiliation as printed
Clinic of Radiology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Berlin, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
PhD Course in Integrative Biomedical Research, Department of Biomedical Science for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
-
Affiliation as printed
Breast Imaging Department, MITERA Hospital, Athens, Greece
-
Institut Gustave Roussy · Fondation Gustave Roussy
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, Gustave Roussy Cancer Campus, Villejuif, France
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
-
Affiliation as printed
MH EK Honvédkórház, Budapest, Hungary
-
University of Zagreb · University Hospital Dubrava
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital ‘Dubrava’, University of Zagreb School of Medicine, Zagreb, Croatia
-
Affiliation as printed
Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
-
European Institute of Oncology
Affiliation as printed
Breast Imaging Division, European Institute of Oncology, Milan, Italy
-
Hôpital Femme Mère Enfant · Hospices Civils de Lyon
Affiliation as printed
Radiology Unit, Hospices Civils de Lyon, Centre Hospitalo-Universitaire Femme Mère Enfant, Bron Cedex, France
-
Affiliation as printed
School of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Acıbadem Mehmet Ali Aydınlar University, Istanbul, Turkey
-
Affiliation as printed
Dundee Cancer Centre, Clinical Research Centre, Ninewells Hospital, and Medical School, Dundee, UK
-
LMU Klinikum · Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München
Affiliation as printed
Diagnostic and Interventional Breast Imaging, Department of Radiology, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Division of General Radiology, Department of Radiology, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
-
Affiliation as printed
Referenzzentrum Mammographie München and FFB gGmbH München, Munich, Germany
-
Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria de Santiago · Servicio Gallego de Salud
Affiliation as printed
CyclotronUnit, GALARIA-SERGAS, Nuclear Medicine Department and Molecular ImagingGroup, Instituto de Investigación Sanitaria (IDIS), Santiago de Compostela, Spain
-
Affiliation as printed
Institut de Radiologie, Clinique des Grangettes, Genève, Switzerland
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, University of Cambridge , Cambridge , UK
-
Christiane Katharina Kuhl Aachen
Universitätsklinikum Aachen · RWTH Aachen University
Affiliation as printed
University Hospital of Aachen, Rheinisch-Westfälische Technische Hochschule, Aachen, Germany
-
Affiliation as printed
Radiology and Imaging Laboratory, Fundeni Institute, Bucharest, Romania
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, Zuyderland Medical Center, Sittard-Geleen, The Netherlands
-
Radboud University Medical Center
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre, Nijmegen, The Netherlands#TAB#
-
Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Asti
Affiliation as printed
Unit of Radiodiagnostics ASL AT, Asti, Italy
-
Affiliation as printed
Breast Imaging Unit, Scientific Institute (IRCCS) Ospedale San Raffaele, Milan, Italy
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiological, Oncological and Pathological Sciences, Sapienza University of Rome Rome, Italy
-
Utrecht University · University Medical Center Utrecht
Affiliation as printed
Department of Imaging, University Medical Centre Utrecht, Utrecht University, Utrecht, The Netherlands
-
Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center · Medical University of Vienna
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Imaging and Image-guided Therapy, Division of Molecular and Gender Imaging, Medical University of Vienna, Wien, Austria
Department of Radiology, Breast Imaging Service, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, USA
-
Affiliation as printed
Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Milan, Italy
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel
-
Sorbonne Université · Assistance Publique – Hôpitaux de Paris
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, Sorbonne Université, APHP, Paris, France
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of radiology, Institut Curie, Paris, France
-
Universitair Ziekenhuis Leuven
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, University Hospitals Leuven,Leuven, Belgium
-
Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust · NIHR Cambridge Biomedical Research Centre
Affiliation as printed
Cambridge Breast Unit and NIHR Biomedical Research Unit, Box 97, Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, Cambridge, UK
-
Lund University · Skåne University Hospital
Affiliation as printed
Diagnostic Radiology, Department of Translational Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Lund University, Skåne University Hospital Malmö, Malmö, Sweden
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Radiology, Duna Medical Center, Budapest, Hungary
-
Affiliation as printed
Jefa Corporativa del Área de la Mama, Ribera Salud Grupo, Valencia, Spain
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biomedical Sciences for Health, Università degli Studi di Milano, Milan, Italy
Cited by 0 stored of 0
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-06).