Evaluation of mammogram findings of breast lesions with trucut biopsy

Abstract

Introduction: Breast cancer is the most common malignancy in women and second leading cause of cancer death among women aged 20 to 59 years. Radiological assessment of the breast lesion by diagnostic mammography remains one of the key investigation in the so called triple assessment of breast lesions. Classification of the mammogram findings as BI-RADS score also helps in the study of the lesions by categorising it into benign, suspicious of and suggestive of malignancy[1]. Comparing its results with the gold standard histopathological (TRUCUT) findings confirms the diagnosis and helps to assess the reliability of mammogram in diagnosing the pathology. Materials and methods: A cross sectional study was conducted among 66 patients who has clinically suspicious malignant breast lesions, attending the General surgery OPD, Casualty, wards of Calicut medical college during the study period. Statistical analysis of the data performed, results of mammogram and trucut biopsy results are compared and analysed. Results: On comparing the mammographic findings to that of the Trucut results 96.96% turned out to be true positive and the rest 3.03% as false positive. Out of the false positive results all were in the category BI-RADS 4a, low suspicion of malignancy (2-9%). In the present study, because the inclusion criteria is “the lesion which are suspicious of malignancy” hence the study population includes only those with results of BIRADS IV - V but not the other categories. Conclusion: Since Mammogram helps in easily identifying the breast lesions, even the impalpable ones, also assess the multicentricity and helps in characterisation of breast lumps, results being reproducible and less subjective and non invasive, it can be considered a primary diagnostic tool in the evaluation of breast lesions and a reliable and useful tool in differentiation of malignant and benign breast masses.