Pre-operative simultaneous stereotactic core biopsy and fine-needle aspiration biopsy in the diagnosis of invasive lobular breast carcinoma

Purpose:
To determine the diagnostic value of stereotactic core needle biopsy (SCNB) in comparison to stereotactic fine-needle aspiration biopsy (SFNAB) in patients with invasive lobular carcinoma (ILC).
Material and Methods:
Twenty-two patients with clinical or mammographic findings suspicious of malignancy underwent surgery where postoperative histopathology showed ILC. Pre-operative attempts of diagnosis were made using SFNAB and SCNB. SFNAB was done with a spinal needle 0.7- or 0.9-mm and SCNB was simultaneously performed with an automated 2.1-mm biopsy gun in all patients.
Results:
SFNAB was diagnostic of carcinoma in 9 women, showed "probable carcinoma" in 5 and "atypia" in 3. In the remaining 5 women, SFNAB showed no atypia.

SCNB diagnosed ILC in 20 patients and showed ILC as well as invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) in 1. Ductal carcinoma in situ was suggested in the remaining patient.
Conclusion:
SCNB was superior to SFNAB in diagnosing ILC and did not miss any carcinoma, whereas SFNAB was non-diagnostic in 8 cases. SCNB is thus recommended in patients with suspicion of ILC of the breast.