WHAT IS A VACUUM BIOPSY?

Vacuum biopsy is a biopsy technique used for histopathological diagnosis of certain radiological findings observed in the breast.

Vacuum biopsy is a biopsy technique used for the histopathological diagnosis of certain radiological findings in the breast. It is the general name for a biopsy system performed using needles that are thicker than those used in cut biopsies and allow for the removal of more tissue in a single entry. The vacuum applied during the biopsy draws the tissue into the needle, allowing for a larger amount of tissue to be collected. This results in a higher diagnostic yield and a lower margin of error. Sonography, stereotactic mammography, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) systems guide the procedure during vacuum biopsy. Vacuum biopsies are generally used with stereotactic mammography guidance for microcalcifications not visible on sonography, requiring more tissue for diagnosis, or with MRI guidance for lesions visible only on MRI. The only disadvantage of this system is the significantly higher cost of materials compared to cut biopsy systems. Currently, it is the most effective biopsy method for microcalcifications visible only on mammography or lesions visible only on MRI.