Ultrasonography-Guided Core Needle Biopsy Diagnostic Value in Breast Lump Assessment: An Experience From the Middle East

Objective: Breast cancer is a leading cause of mortality in industrialized and developing countries. Mammography and a core needle biopsy are among the detection methods that are used to diagnose and confirm tumor subtypes. Methods: A retrospective, noninterventional observational study was conducted in a tertiary center between January 2009 and December 2014. A total of 265 patients underwent ultrasonography (US)–guided core needle biopsy (CNB). A cohort of 147 patients met the inclusion criteria and data were subsequently extracted from their medical records. Results: From this cohort, US-CNB detected malignant lesions in 109 patients, with a total sensitivity and specificity for malignancy at 96.33% and 75.10%, respectively. The most frequent malignant tumor diagnosed with US-CNB was invasive ductal carcinoma. The most common benign masses detected were 38 (32.1%) fibroadenomas and fat necrosis. The positive and negative predictive values for US-CNB were 92.4% and 87.5%, respectively. Conclusion: The findings would suggest that the use of US-CNB could play a major role in the identification and management of the breast lesions. It could also redeem any biopsy errors or operator inexperience. Sensitivity and specificity in detecting tumors, malignant or benign, using US-CNB could aid in efforts to provide an appropriate medical management plan.