The value of a combination of wire localization and ultrasound-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy for clustered microcalcifications

The purpose of this study is to introduce and evaluate the usefulness of the combination of wire localization and ultrasound (US)-guided, vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VAB) to histologically diagnose mammographically detected clustered microcalcifications in the absence of sonographic and clinically palpable masses. Fifty-eight consecutive patients (mean age 53 years) with 58 mammographically detected microcalcification clusters underwent mammographically guided wire localization followed by VAB with US guidance for targeting the wire. Mammography of the specimens obtained was performed in all cases for identification of microcalcifications. The procedure took approximately 24 min (range, 18-52 min). No significant immediate and delayed complications were observed. Microcalcifications were evident on both specimen radiographs and microscopic slides in 56 cases (97%). The combination of wire localization and US-guided VAB could provide an accurate and useful method for diagnosing mammographically detected, clustered microcalcifications.