Search Our Scientific Publications & Authors

Acta Radiol Open 2018 Dec 6;7(12):2058460118815726. Epub 2018 Dec 6.

Department of Gynecology, Hospital de Clinicas, Federal University of Parana, Curitiba, Brazil.

Background: Image-guided charcoal injection in suspicious breast lesions for preoperative localization is a procedure that has been increasing over the years because it is safer, faster, and more affordable when compared to needle-wire preoperative localization. To date, no complications have been associated with the method. However, in recent years there have been some reports about charcoal granulomas mimicking malignant lesions in some postoperative patients or in a conservative follow-up. Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2018 Nov 3;25(12):3740-3746. Epub 2018 Sep 3.

Department of Surgery, University of California San Diego, San Diego, CA, USA.

Background: Preoperative breast and lung markers have significant drawbacks, including migration, patient discomfort, and scheduling difficulties. SignalMark is a novel localizer device with a unique signal on Doppler ultrasound.

Objective: We aimed to evaluate intraoperative identification of SignalMark microspheres compared with HydroMARK clips. Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2018 Oct 15;25(10):3076-3081. Epub 2018 Aug 15.

Department of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR, USA.

Background: Localization of nonpalpable breast lesions for breast-conserving surgery (BCS) remains highly variable and includes needle/wire localization (NL), radioactive seed localization, radar localization, and hematoma-directed ultrasound-guided (HUG) lumpectomy. The superiority of HUG lumpectomy over NL has been demonstrated repeatedly in terms of safety, accuracy, low positive margin rates, cosmesis, and patient satisfaction. In this study, we evaluate the cost effectiveness of HUG lumpectomy over NL for nonpalpable breast lesions. Read More

Eur J Surg Oncol 2018 09 9;44(9):1307-1311. Epub 2018 Jun 9.

University of Rostock, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Südring 81, 18059, Rostock, Germany.

Introduction: Clipping and selective removal of initially suspicious axillary lymph nodes in breast cancer patients who have been sonographically down-staged by primary systemic therapy improves the accuracy of surgical staging and provides the opportunity for more conservative axillary surgery. This study evaluated whether preoperative ultrasound-guided wire localization of the clipped node is useful for routine clinical practice.

Material And Methods: This prospective, single-center feasibility trial included patients with invasive breast cancer (cT1-3N1-3M0) treated by primary systemic therapy. Read More

Magn Reson Imaging Clin N Am 2018 May 21;26(2):235-246. Epub 2018 Feb 21.

Department of Radiology, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1515 Holcombe Boulevard, Unit 1350, Houston, TX 77030, USA.

MR imaging is now routinely performed for breast cancer screening and staging. For suspicious MR imaging-detected lesions that are mammographically and sonographically occult, MR imaging-guided breast interventions, including biopsy, clip placement, and preoperative needle localization, have been developed to permit accurate tissue diagnosis and aid in surgical planning. These procedures are safe, accurate, and effective when performed according to key principles, including proper patient selection, use of appropriate technique, adequate preprocedure preparation and postprocedure patient care, and postprocedure imaging-pathology correlation. Read More

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2018 Mar 27;19(3):763-767. Epub 2018 Mar 27.

Departments of Diagnostic Radiology and Medicine, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan. Email:

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of “X- ray examination of surgically resected specimen‘‘ in assessing complete local excision (CLE). Materials and Methods: In this retrospective cross sectional study, data were collected for all female breast cancer cases who underwent breast-conserving surgery after needle localization of mammographically visible disease. Males, patients with mammographically invisible disease and cases with benign or inconclusive histopathology, those undergoing modified radical mastectomy and individuals with dense breast parenchyma were excluded. Read More

Breast Cancer 2018 Sep 23;25(5):575-582. Epub 2018 Mar 23.

Breast Center, Kameda Medical Center, 929 Higashi-cho, Kamogawa, Chiba, 296-8602, Japan.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of the HydroMARK, a hydrogel-based breast biopsy site marker for ultrasound localization of breast lesions, we investigated the tendency for dislocation and sonographic detectability of the marker placed in patients.

Materials And Methods: The marker was placed in lesions that were expected to become obscured after biopsy for a suspicious breast lesion or after neoadjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer. The patients consented to return for a repeat ultrasound ± mammography examination, and the degree of displacement of the marker was measured as the marker-to-residual lesion distance. Read More

Can Assoc Radiol J 2018 Feb;69(1):10-15

Breast Health Program, BC Women's Hospital and Health Centre, Vancouver, Canada; Department of Radiology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Purpose: The placement of localization clips following percutaneous biopsy is a standard practice for a variety of situations. Subsequent clip displacement creates challenges for imaging surveillance and surgical planning, and may cause confusion amongst radiologists and between surgeons and radiologists. Many causes have been attributed for this phenomenon including the commonly accepted "accordion effect. Read More

Pediatr Radiol 2018 05 23;48(5):626-631. Epub 2018 Jan 23.

Department of Radiology, Division of Interventional Radiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, TX, USA.

Background: Pulmonary nodules in pediatric oncology patients can present a diagnostic and treatment dilemma. Imaging findings are often nonspecific and tissue diagnosis may be required for appropriate treatment. The smaller subpleural nodules may not be visualized and cannot be palpated during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgical (VATS) resection. Read More

J Coll Physicians Surg Pak 2017 Dec;27(12):747-750

Department of Radiology, The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi.

Objective: To evaluate the success of ultrasound in post-excision specimen visualization, and negative predictive value of ultrasound for estimation of tumor-free margins using histopathology as the gold standard.

Study Design: Cross-sectional analytical study.

Place And Duration Of Study: The Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan, from May 2010 till January 2013. Read More

Acta Biomater 2018 Jan 19;65:197-202. Epub 2017 Oct 19.

Center for Nanomedicine and Theranostics, Department of Chemistry, Technical University of Denmark, Building 207, Kemitorvet, 2800 Kgs. Lyngby, Denmark. Electronic address:

We have developed a I-radiolabeled injectable fiducial tissue marker with the potential to replace current methods used for surgical guidance of non-palpable breast tumors. Methods in routine clinical use today such as radioactive seed localization, radio-guided occult lesion localization and wire-guided localization suffers from limitations that this injectable fiducial tissue marker offers solutions to. The developed I-radiolabeled injectable fiducial tissue marker is based on highly viscous sucrose acetate isobutyrate. Read More

Anticancer Res 2017 08;37(8):4523-4527

Cardiff China Medical Research Collaborative, Cardiff University, School of Medicine, Cardiff, U.K.

Aim: To evaluate the usefulness of localization needles under mammographic, ultrasound or fiberoptic ductoscopy guidance for non-palpable breast lesions.

Patients And Methods: Eighty-three patients undergoing needle localization and biopsy of non-palpable breast lesions under mammographic, ultrasound or fiberoptic ductoscopy guidance from June 2013 to December 2014 in Beijing Friendship Hospital were included in the study. The preoperative imaging assessment, application of localization needles, surgical operation and pathological examination were recorded and analyzed retrospectively. Read More

Radiol Med 2017 Oct 25;122(10):723-730. Epub 2017 May 25.

Unit of Radiology, IRCCS Policlinico San Donato, Via Morandi 30, San Donato Milanese, 20097, Milan, Italy.

This position paper, issued by ICBR/SIRM and GISMa, summarizes the evidence on DBT and provides recommendations for its use. In the screening setting, DBT in adjunct to digital mammography (DM) increased detection rate by 0.5-2. Read More

Radiology 2017 09 26;284(3):645-655. Epub 2017 Apr 26.

From the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (C.K.K., K.S., S.S.), Section of Bioinformatics, Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (H.B.), and Department of Gynecology and Gynecologic Oncology (N.M.), University of Aachen, RWTH, Pauwelsstr 30, 52074 Aachen, Germany; Department of Pathology, University of Muenster, Muenster, Germany (E.W.); and Department of Gynecology, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany (W.K.).

Purpose To (a) compare the diagnostic accuracy of breast magnetic resonance (MR) imaging with that of conventional imaging (digital mammography and breast ultrasonography) in the identification of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) components of biopsy-proven invasive breast cancer before surgery and (b) investigate the surgical outcome (positive margin rates and mastectomy rates) of women with breast cancer who underwent preoperative MR imaging combined with MR-guided needle biopsy and/or MR-guided lesion localization or bracketing where appropriate. Materials and Methods The authors performed a prospective two-center study of 593 consecutive patients with biopsy-proven invasive breast cancer who underwent breast MR imaging in addition to conventional imaging. MR-guided vacuum biopsy and MR-guided lesion bracketing were performed for DCIS components visible at MR imaging alone. Read More

AJR Am J Roentgenol 2017 Dec 5;209(6):1367-1373. Epub 2017 Apr 5.

1 Section of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Leiden University Medical Center, Albinusdreef 2, 2333 ZA Leiden, The Netherlands.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to evaluate a new device using molecular breast imaging (MBI) for Tc-sestamibi-guided stereotactic lesion localization as a complementary biopsy tool.

Materials And Methods: From December 2012 to May 2016, a total of 38 consecutive women (mean age, 59 years; range, 41-77 years) underwent Tc-sestamibi-guided biopsy using a new MBI-based device and were retrospectively reviewed. The biopsy modality used five steps: stereotactic localization of the Tc-sestamibi-avid lesion, calculation of coordinates of the lesion location using dedicated software, placement of the needle, verification of the correct needle position, and tissue sampling with a vacuum-assisted device followed by placement of a radiologic marker at the biopsy site and ex vivo measurement of the biopsy specimens. Read More

Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2017 Feb;77(2):169-175

Universitätsfrauenklinik Erlangen, Universitätsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen.

The placement of intramammary marker clips has proven to be helpful for tumor localization in patients undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy and breast-conserving surgery. The purpose of our study was to investigate the feasibility of using a clip marker system for breast cancer localization and its influence on the imaging assessment of treatment responses after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Between March and June 2015, a total of 25 patients (n = 25), with a suspicion of invasive breast cancer with diameters of at least 2 cm (cT2), underwent preoperative sonographically guided core needle biopsy using a single-use breast biopsy system (HistoCore™) and intramammary clip marking using a directly adapted clip system based on the established O-Twist Marker™, before their scheduled preoperative neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Read More

Skeletal Radiol 2017 Jul 9;46(7):975-981. Epub 2017 Mar 9.

Department of Radiology, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Harvard Medical School, 330 Brookline Ave, Boston, MA, 02215, USA.

MRI-guided wire localization is commonly used for surgical localization of breast lesions. Here we introduce an alternative use of this technique to help with surgical resection of a recurrent pleomorphic sarcoma embedded in extensive post-treatment scar tissue. We describe a case of recurrent pleomorphic soft tissue sarcoma in the thigh after treatment with neoadjuvant therapy, surgery, and radiation. Read More

AJR Am J Roentgenol 2017 Jun 7;208(6):1400-1409. Epub 2017 Mar 7.

3 Department of Pathology, Marmara University School of Medicine, Istanbul, Turkey.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to assess the utility of a volume navigation technique (VNT) for ultrasound-guided biopsy of MRI-detected, but sonographically ambiguous or occult, breast lesions.

Subjects And Methods: Within a recruitment period of 13 months (January 1, 2014, through February 1, 2015), 22 patients with 26 BI-RADS category 4 or 5 lesions that were detected at MRI but missed at second-look ultrasound were reimaged using a rapid sequence and a flexible body coil in a 3-T MRI scanner. Patients were supine, with three skin markers placed on the breasts. Read More

Int J Comput Assist Radiol Surg 2017 Aug 6;12(8):1319-1331. Epub 2017 Feb 6.

Department of Biomedical Engineering, National Cancer Center, 323 Ilsanro, Ilsandong-gu, Goyang-si, 10408, Gyeonggi-do, Republic of Korea.

Purpose: We developed an image-guided intervention robot system that can be operated in a magnetic resonance (MR) imaging gantry. The system incorporates a bendable needle intervention robot for breast cancer patients that overcomes the space limitations of the MR gantry.

Methods: Most breast coil designs for breast MR imaging have side openings to allow manual localization. Read More

Acta Cytol 2017 22;61(1):47-54. Epub 2016 Dec 22.

Department of Pathology, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.

Background: Cutaneous metastases can occur in a wide variety of internal malignancies and may be the first sign of a clinically silent visceral cancer.

Study Design: A retrospective analysis was made of 138 cases diagnosed with cutaneous and subcutaneous metastasis on fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC). Primary tumors of the skin/subcutis were excluded. Read More

Clin Breast Cancer 2017 02 19;17(1):18-22. Epub 2016 Oct 19.

Florida Hospital - N Pinellas, University of South Florida, Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL. Electronic address:

Introduction: With the advent and proliferation of breast cancer screening programs, more women are being diagnosed with mammographic abnormalities that require tissue diagnosis. If imaged-guided biopsy is not possible or previous image-guided biopsies reveal pathologies that require more extensive surgery, guided excisional biopsy/lumpectomy may be necessary.

Methods: Fifteen women were enrolled in the study of the feasibility of off-site or day-before wire-localization excisional biopsy of the breast with mammographic abnormalities. Read More

Breast Cancer 2017 Jul 12;24(4):585-592. Epub 2016 Nov 12.

Breast Center, Kameda Medical Center, 929 Higashi-cho, Kamogawa, Chiba, 296-8602, Japan.

Purpose: To evaluate the usefulness of the UltraClip dual trigger breast tissue marker (UltraClip) for sonographic localization, we investigate the sonographic visibility and sonographic appearance of the UltraClip placed in phantoms and patients.

Materials And Methods: Ten UltraClips were placed in the target lesions in the phantoms. After the ultrasound examination of the UltraClip, the ultrasound images were compared to the real appearance of the UltraClip obtained by cutting the phantoms. Read More

Am J Surg 2017 Apr 20;213(4):798-804. Epub 2016 Oct 20.

Department of Surgery, McMaster University, St. Joseph's Healthcare, Hamilton, ON, Canada. Electronic address:

Background: This study compared 5-year breast cancer (BC) recurrence rates in patients randomized to radioguided seed localization (RSL) or wire localization (WL) for non-palpable BC undergoing breast conserving surgery.

Methods: Chart review of follow-up visits and surveillance imaging was conducted. Data collected included patient and tumour factors, adjuvant therapies and BC recurrence (local recurrence (LR), regional recurrence (RR), and distant metastasis (DM)). Read More

Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging 2017 Apr 27;44(4):630-637. Epub 2016 Oct 27.

Department of Nuclear Medicine, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Antoni Van Leeuwenhoek Hospital, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Background: In recent years repeat sentinel node (SN) biopsy has been proven to be feasible in local breast cancer recurrence (LBCR). However, in these patients SNs outside the ipsilateral axilla are frequently observed. This study evaluates the contribution of SPECT/CT for SN localization and surgical adjustment in LBCR patients. Read More

J Minim Invasive Gynecol 2017 01 30;24(1):171-173. Epub 2016 Sep 30.

Sanchinarro University Hospital, Madrid, Spain.

The radio-guided occult lesion localization (ROLL) technique has been in use since the mid-1990s, mainly in breast surgery. Today, ROLL is used for numerous oncologic pathologies, including parathyroid lesions, melanomas, and colorectal tumors. We report a patient with an 11-mm left mesorectal solitary recurrence of a primary ovarian cancer in whom the ROLL technique was used to identify the implant. Read More

PLoS One 2016 1;11(7):e0157854. Epub 2016 Jul 1.

School of Engineering Science, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, China.

Surgical resection remains the primary curative treatment for many early-stage cancers, including breast cancer. The development of intraoperative guidance systems for identifying all sites of disease and improving the likelihood of complete surgical resection is an area of active ongoing research, as this can lead to a decrease in the need of subsequent additional surgical procedures. We develop a wearable goggle navigation system for dual-mode optical and ultrasound imaging of suspicious lesions. Read More

AJR Am J Roentgenol 2016 Sep 8;207(3):676-84. Epub 2016 Jun 8.

1 Department of Radiology, New York University Langone Medical Center, 160 E 34th St, New York, NY 10016.

Objective: MRI-guided needle localization allows access to MRI-detected mammographically occult breast lesions that are not amenable to MRI-guided biopsy. The purpose of this study was to examine the safety and outcomes of MRI-guided needle localization.

Materials And Methods: Ninety-nine consecutive breast lesions that underwent preoperative MRI-guided needle localization were identified. Read More

Ann Surg 2017 05;265(5):987-992

*Departments of Surgery, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Institute, Little Rock, AR †Departments of Pathology, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Winthrop P. Rockefeller Institute, Little Rock, AR ‡Department of Biostatistics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, AR.

Background: We hypothesized that disconcerting lymphedema rates in both sentinel lymph node biopsy (SLNB) and axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) may be because of unrecognized vunerable variations in arm lymphatic drainage within the axilla. Axillary reverse mapping (ARM) facilitates identification and avoidance of arm lymphatics within the axilla and its use may reduce lymphedema.

Methods: This institutional review board-approved study from June 2007 to December 2013 involved patients undergoing SLNB with or without ALND, or ALND alone. Read More

Eur J Radiol 2016 Jun 16;85(6):1157-66. Epub 2016 Mar 16.

Dept. of Diagnostical and Interventional Radiology, University Hospital of Cologne, Germany.

Purpose: The study was conducted in order to assess the clinical impact of MRI-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsies carried out using an open 1.0T open MRI-system.

Material And Methods: The clinical, imaging, interventional and histological data of all 132 patients with a first MRI-guided vacuum-assisted breast biopsy carried out between 07/2005 and 03/2012at the Radiological Department were extracted from the clinical files. Read More

Radiographics 2016 Mar-Apr;36(2):311-21

From the Department of Radiology, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar St, PO Box 208042, New Haven, CT 06520-8042 (M.A.D., R.J.H., M.R., L.E.P.); and Department of Radiology, Kaiser Permanente, Bakersfield, Calif (S.W.).

As use of digital breast tomosynthesis becomes increasingly widespread, new management challenges are inevitable because tomosynthesis may reveal suspicious lesions not visible at conventional two-dimensional (2D) full-field digital mammography. Architectural distortion is a mammographic finding associated with a high positive predictive value for malignancy. It is detected more frequently at tomosynthesis than at 2D digital mammography and may even be occult at conventional 2D imaging. Read More

Plast Reconstr Surg 2016 Mar;137(3):792-8

Rome, Italy From the Department of Plastic, Reconstructive and Aesthetic Surgery and the Center for Integrated Biomedical Research, Laboratory of Microscopic and Ultrastructural Anatomy, "Campus Bio-Medico di Roma" University.

Background: Capsular contracture is the most common complication following breast augmentation and reconstruction. Myofibroblasts, which are specialized fibroblasts with contractile activity, are involved in its pathogenesis. Toll-like receptor 4 stimulation in fibroblasts induces transcription of genes involved in extracellular matrix remodeling and tissue repair; furthermore, it enhances sensitivity to transforming growth factor-β1 and promotes transition to myofibroblasts. Read More

PLoS One 2016 11;11(2):e0149018. Epub 2016 Feb 11.

Institute of Clinical Radiology and Nuclear Medicine, University Medical Center Mannheim, Medical Faculty Mannheim, University of Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany.

Background: To evaluate whether tumor localization and method of preoperative biopsy affect sentinel lymph node (SLN) detection after periareolar nuclide injection in breast cancer patients.

Methods And Findings: 767 breast cancer patients were retrospectively included. For lymphscintigraphy periareolar nuclide injection was performed and the SLN was located by gamma camera. Read More

Breast J 2016 May 7;22(3):303-9. Epub 2016 Feb 7.

Department of Surgery, Mount Sinai Beth Israel, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York.

Breast conservation therapy (BCT) has a reported incidence of positive margins ranging widely in the literature from 20% to 70%. Efforts have been made to refine standards for partial mastectomy and to predict which patients are at highest risk for incomplete excision. Most have focused on histology and demographics. Read More

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2015 ;16(18):8339-43

Department of Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi Pakistan E-mail :

Background: To determine the outcome and cost saving by placing ultrasound guided surgical clips for tumor localization in patients undergoing neo-adjuvant chemotherapy for breast cancer.

Materials And Methods: This retrospective cross sectional analytical study was conducted at the Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, Pakistan from January to December 2014. A sample of 25 women fulfilling our selection criteria was taken. Read More

J Clin Oncol 2016 Mar 28;34(7):655-8. Epub 2015 Dec 28.

Mount Sinai Medical Center, New York, NY

The Oncology Grand Rounds series is designed to place original reports published in the Journal into clinical context. A case presentation is followed by a description of diagnostic and management challenges, a review of the relevant literature, and a summary of the authors' suggested management approaches. The goal of this series is to help readers better understand how to apply the results of key studies, including those published in Journal of Clinical Oncology, to patients seen in their own clinical practice. Read More

J Belg Soc Radiol 2015 Sep 15;99(1):21-27. Epub 2015 Sep 15.

Department of Radiology, Ankara Diskapi Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.

To describe imaging features of different breast adenosis lesions. Mammographic and ultrasonographic findings of patients with different types of adenosis were reviewed retrospectively Tissue samples were obtained either with US-guided core needle biopsy or localization with needle-wire system and surgical excision. Forty-three adenosis lesions were diagnosed in 41 patients: 27 sclerosing adenosis, 13 blunt duct adenosis and 3 microglandular adenosis. Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2015 Oct 28;22(10):3174-83. Epub 2015 Jul 28.

Gundersen Health System Norma J. Vinger Center for Breast Care, La Crosse, WI, USA,

Background: Multiple recent reports have documented significant variability of reoperation rates after initial lumpectomy for breast cancer. To address this issue, a multidisciplinary consensus conference was convened during the American Society of Breast Surgeons 2015 annual meeting.

Methods: The conference mission statement was to "reduce the national reoperation rate in patients undergoing breast conserving surgery for cancer, without increasing mastectomy rates or adversely affecting cosmetic outcome, thereby improving value of care. Read More

Del Med J 2015 Apr;87(4):117-20

We describe a case of an 88-year-old female who presented for needle localization to undergo excisional biopsy of a subtle asymmetry in the left breast, with successful localization achieved using digital breast tomosynthesis. Initial attempts at localization under 2D mammography were inaccurate. Subsequent digital breast tomosynthesis application for triangulation resulted in better visualization of the target, and successful localization. Read More

J Breast Cancer 2015 Mar 27;18(1):44-9. Epub 2015 Mar 27.

Department of Pathology, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Purpose: We investigated the feasibility of using surgical clips as markers for tumor localization and their effect on the imaging evaluation of treatment responses after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC).

Methods: A total of 16 breast cancers confirmed by needle biopsy in 15 patients were included in this study from October 2012 to June 2014. Under ultrasonography (US)-guidance, the surgical clips were placed prior to NAC. Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2015 Dec 27;22(13):4241-6. Epub 2015 Mar 27.

Department of Surgery, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, USA.

Background: This study aimed to evaluate whether the use of preoperative ultrasound (US)-guided wire localization of metastatic axillary lymph nodes (LN) assessed previously by core needle biopsy (CNB) and clip placement in breast cancer patients improves successful surgical removal.

Methods: A retrospective review examined breast cancer patients who underwent US-guided CNB of an axillary LN and biopsy clip placement as well as axillary lymph node dissection (ALND) or sentinel node lymph node biopsy (SLNB) from 1 January 2010 to 30 September 2013. Preoperative needle localization status, neoadjuvant chemotherapy, and type of axillary LN surgery were reviewed. Read More

Asian Pac J Cancer Prev 2015 ;16(5):1715-8

Department of General Surgery, Nanjing Medical University Affiliated Cancer Hospital, Cancer Institute of Jiangsu Province, Nanjing, China E-mail :

Background: Magnetic resonance imaging of breast, reported to be a high sensitivity of 94% to 100%, is the most sensitive method for detection of breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to investigate our clinical experience in MRI-guided breast lesion wire localization in Chinese women.

Materials And Methods: A total of 44 patients with 46 lesions undergoing MRI-guided breast lesion localization were prospectively entered into this study between November 2013 and September 2014. Read More

Breast Cancer 2016 May 5;23(3):471-8. Epub 2015 Feb 5.

Department of Surgery, Gachon University Gil Medical Center, 21 Namdong-daero 774-beon-gil, Namdong-gu, Incheon, 405-760, Korea.

Background: The presence of microcalcification on mammography is one of the earliest signs in breast cancer detection. However, it is difficult to distinguish malignant calcifications from benign calcifications. The aim of this study is to evaluate correlation between changing patterns of microcalcification on screening mammography and malignant breast lesions. Read More

Ann Surg Oncol 2015 Sep 22;22(9):2895-901. Epub 2015 Jan 22.

Department of Radiology, Severance Hospital, Research Institute of Radiological Science, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea.

Background: The 5th edition of Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System subdivides suspicious calcifications into two categories: 4B-amorphous, coarse heterogeneous, and fine pleomorphic calcifications; 4C-fine linear or fine linear branching calcifications. We investigated whether these revised categories are appropriate for malignancy risk stratification.

Methods: We studied 246 patients (mean age 48. Read More

Radiology 2015 May 7;275(2):377-83. Epub 2015 Jan 7.

From the Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, 55 Fruit St, Boston, MA 02114.

Purpose: To assess the feasibility and accuracy of digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT)-guided needle localization for DBT-detected suspicious abnormalities not visualized with other modalities and to analyze the imaging and pathologic characteristics of abnormalities detected only with DBT to determine the positive predictive value for malignancy.

Materials And Methods: This HIPAA-compliant study was approved by the institutional review board, and the requirement to obtain informed consent was waived. A retrospective query of the imaging database identified 34 consecutive women (average age, 55 years; age range, 28-84 years) with 36 lesions who underwent DBT-guided needle localization between April 2011 and January 2013 with use of commercially available equipment. Read More

JAMA Surg 2015 Feb;150(2):137-43

Department of Surgical Oncology, MD Anderson Cancer Center, The University of Texas, Houston.

Importance: Nodal ultrasonography with needle biopsy of abnormal lymph nodes helps to define the extent of breast cancer before neoadjuvant chemotherapy. A clip can be placed to designate lymph nodes with documented metastases. Targeted axillary dissection or selective removal of lymph nodes known to contain metastases (clip-containing nodes) as well as sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) may provide more accurate assessment of the pathologic response after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Read More

Gynecol Obstet Fertil 2015 Jan 6;43(1):18-24. Epub 2014 Nov 6.

Département de sénologie, centre Oscar-Lambret, 3, rue F.-Combemale, 59020 Lille cedex, France. Electronic address:

Objective: Despite the standard management of non-palpable breast cancer (needle core biopsy diagnostic, accurate preoperative localization), there are differences in some cases between the malignant histo-pathological finding in diagnostic biopsy results and negative histo-pathological finding after surgical excision. The aim of this study is to evaluate this incidence and classifying them under three category: failure of surgical excision after preoperative identification; removal of the tumor was already completed by percutaneous biopsy; percutaneous biopsy true false positive.

Patients And Methods: We conducted a study based on prospective database, all patients included in this study had partial mastectomy for ductal carcinoma in-situ or invasive cancer which was diagnosed by needle core biopsy and normal/benign after surgery. Read More

Diagn Cytopathol 2015 May 26;43(5):374-80. Epub 2014 Nov 26.

Division of Anatomic Pathology and Histology, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, "Agostino Gemelli" School of Medicine, Rome.

Background: Thyroid Metastases (TM) represent a rare entity with an estimated variability ranging between 0 and 24%. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) might be useful in discriminating between primary and TM nodules especially when ancillary techniques (i.e. Read More

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2014 Aug;94(32):2519-21

Department of Breast Surgery, Affiliated Tangshan People's Hospital & Tangshan Cancer Hospital, Hebei United University, Tangshan 063001, China.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical usefulness of mammography-guided wire localization plus ultrasound-guided core-needle biopsy of breast microcalcification and avoid the effects of preoperative excisional biopsy for patients undergoing sentinel node biopsy.

Methods: A total of 38 patients with unpalpable lesions, ultrasonic negativity and abnormal mammography received a guide wire under mammography and performed ultrasound-guided core-needle biopsy of breast microcalcification before preoperative excisional biopsy.

Results: All 38 lesions were successfully located and biopsied for pathological examination. Read More

Radiology 2014 Nov;273(2 Suppl):S23-44

From the Department of Radiology and Biomedical Imaging, University of California, San Francisco, 1600 Divisadero St, Room C250, Mail Box 1667, San Francisco, CA 94115.

The practice of breast imaging has transitioned through a wide variety of technologic advances from the early days of direct-exposure film mammography to xeromammography to screen-film mammography to the current era of full-field digital mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis. Along with these technologic advances, organized screening, federal regulations based on the Mammography Quality Standards Act, and the development of the American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System have helped to shape the specialty of breast imaging. With the development of breast ultrasonography and breast magnetic resonance imaging, both complementary to mammography, additional algorithms for diagnostic workup and screening high-risk subgroups of women have emerged. Read More

Tumori 2014 Jul-Aug;100(4):420-5

Aims And Background: In conservative early stage breast cancer surgery, the sample's margins are directly related to relapse, and positive or close margins indicate the need for additional surgery. Since the range of residual disease in secondary surgeries and the related pathological factors are highly variable, we intended to evaluate the number of additional surgeries due to compromised margins and identify the percentage of residual disease and factors related to it.

Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical records of 659 tumorectomy or needle localization surgery patients with breast carcinoma at the Hospital Universitario Austral in Buenos Aires, Argentina, between December 2000 and December 2012. Read More