Phyllodes tumours of the breast diagnosed as B3 category on image-guided 14-gauge core biopsy: analysis of 51 cases from a single institution and review of the literature.

AIMS: Image-guided 14-gauge (G) core biopsy (CB) has been shown to be an accurate method providing histological diagnosis of breast lesions. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the reliability of image-guided 14-G CB in the diagnosis of phyllodes tumours (PT) reported as B3 category and its accuracy in distinguishing this lesion from fibroadenomas (FA).

MATERIALS AND METHODS: The records of 10 000 image-guided 14-G CB of the breast performed from January 2001 to August 2011 at the Diagnostic Senology Unit of Careggi University Hospital were reviewed; 2554 (25.5%) were fibroepithelial lesions: 56 of them (2%) were diagnosed as PT and reported as B3 category. The database of the Pathological Anatomy Unit of Careggi University Hospital was then searched to verify the histological diagnosis after surgical excision. Fifty-one cases of PT diagnosed as B3 category in 51 women were included in the present study.

RESULTS: Of the 51 cases of PT diagnosed as B3 category on 14-G CB, 39 (76.5%) lesions were confirmed as PT on SE (30, 4 and 5 as benign, borderline and malignant PT respectively) with a PPV of 76.5%. Twelve lesions (23.5%) were diagnosed as FA after surgical excision.

CONCLUSIONS: Our study shows that 14-G CB is a valuable tool, in a preoperative setting, in diagnosing PT.