Calcifications Highly Suggestive of Malignancy

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this study was to compare the usefulness of, and cost of diagnosing with, different breast biopsy methods for women with calcifications highly suggestive of malignancy.MATERIALS AND METHODS. One hundred thirty-nine women with calcifications highly suggestive of malignancy underwent diagnostic biopsy. Of these, 89 women had stereotactic biopsy with a 14-gauge automated needle (n = 25), 14-gauge vacuum-assisted probe (n = 17), or 11-gauge vacuum-assisted probe (n = 47); and 50 women had diagnostic surgical biopsy. Medical records were reviewed. Cost savings for stereotactic biopsy were calculated using Medicare data.RESULTS. The median number of operations was one for women who had stereotactic biopsy versus two for women who had diagnostic surgical biopsy. The likelihood of undergoing a single operation was significantly greater for women who had stereotactic rather than surgical biopsy, among all women (61/89 [68.5%] vs. 19/50 [38.0%], p < 0.001) and among women treated for breas...