OBJECTIVETo assess the accuracy of ultrasound-guided 16G and 18G core needle biopsy for detecting ultrasound visible breast lesions with different sonographic features.

METHODSA total of 955 sonographically detected breast lesions examined with ultrasound-guided core needle biopsy (US-CNB) and subsequently surgically excised from July 2005 to July 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. Histological findings of US-CNB and the surgical specimens were analyzed for agreements, sensitivities, false negative rates, and underestimate rates according to different sonographic features.

RESULTSThe pathological results of the US-CNB showed malignant lesions in 84.1%, high-risk lesions in 8.4%, and benign lesions in 7.5% of the samples. The overall agreement rates were 92.4% for 16G CNB and 92.8% for 18G CNB; their complete sensitivities and false negative rates were both 98.6% and 1.4%, respectively; the high-risk underestimate rates and DCIS underestimate rates were 48.0% and 46.2% for 16G CNB vs 53.3% and 41.2% for 18G CNB, showing no significant difference between the two groups (P>0.01). For both 16G and 18G CNB, the agreements were better for mass lesions than for non-mass lesions (P<0.01). For the mass lesions with a diameter no greater than 10 mm, the agreement rates were lower than the overall data (P<0.01). Calcification in the lesions did not affect the agreement rates (P>0.01).

CONCLUSIONUltrasound-guided 16G and 18G CNB are both accurate methods for evaluating ultrasound visible breast mass lesions with a diameter larger than 10 mm.