KCH Adds Stereotactic Breast Biopsy to Diagnostic Arsenal

At this week's Hamot-KCH Breast Cancer Forum, J. Gary Rhodes, CEO of Kane Community Hospital and Janet Brunner, R.T. (R),(M) and Clinical Ancillary Services Leader at KCH, announced to those attending the recent addition of stereotactic breast biopsy to their Diagnostic Imaging arsenal, with more equipment and technology on the way.

“The newly dedicated room housing the new purchase is complete with state review and approvals and patients are being scheduled for procedures,” noted Brunner.

“This equipment is the first of three purchases that will form a new Breast Center to be launched this fall. The other pieces are digital mammography (the first in the area) and small bore Magnetic Resonance Imaging for which the current MRI room is being renovated,” Rhodes announced.

The Director of Radiology at KCH, Jamil Sarfraz, M.D. who was speaking at the forum, concurred that he had requested the new equipment for the breast center and that he was hopeful that the community would avail themselves to the excellent diagnosis and care that is available at Kane Community Hospital.

What exactly is stereotactic breast biopsy?

Lumps or abnormalities in the breast are often detected by physical examination, mammography, or other imaging studies. However, it is not always possible to tell from these imaging tests whether a growth is benign or cancerous.

The Radiology Society of North America, Inc. (RSNA) notes a breast biopsy is performed to remove some cells—either surgically or through a less invasive procedures involving a hollow needle – from a suspicious area in the breast and examined under a microscope to determine a diagnosis. During a breast biopsy, part or all of a tumor may be removed.

Image-guided biopsy is performed when the abnormal area in the breast is too small to be felt, making it difficult to locate the lesion by hand.

In stereotactic breast biopsy, a special mammography machine uses ionizing radiation to help guide the interventional radiologist’s instruments to the site of the abnormal growth.

When is stereotactic biopsy used?

A stereotactic breast biopsy is performed when a mammogram shows a breast abnormality such as a suspicious solid mass, microcalcifications, (a tiny cluster of small calcium deposits), a distortion in the structure of the breast tissue, an area of abnormal tissue change, or a new mass or area of calcium deposits is present at a previous surgery site.

Stereotactic breast biopsy is also performed when the patient or physician strongly prefers a non-surgical method of assessing a breast abnormality.

Sterotactic guidance is used in four biopsy procedures: a fine needle aspiration (FNA), which uses a very small needle to extract fluid or cells from the abnormal area; core needle (CN) which uses a large hollow needle to remove one sample of breast tissue per insertion; vacuum-assisted device (VAD) which uses a vacuum powered instrument to collect multiple tissue samples during one needle insertion, and wire location, in which a guide wire is placed into the suspicious area to help the surgeon locate the lesion during surgical biopsy.

Breast biopsies are usually performed in an outpatient imaging center like that at Kane Community Hospital.

Who performs the biopsy?

Image-guided, minimally invasive procedures such as stereotactic breast biopsy are performed by specially trained radiologists. Interventional Radiologist Jamil Sarfraz, M.D. performs the biopsies at KCH.

For the past five years Dr. Sarfraz has led the Diagnostic Imaging Team at KCH. He holds Specialty American Board Certifications in Diagnostic Radiology, Nuclear Medicine, and Internal Medicine. He has specialty interests in Breast Imaging and Intervention, Nuclear Medicine and Ultrasonography.

What are the benefits to stereotactic biopsy?

The procedure is less invasive than surgical biopsy, leaves little or no scarring and can be performed in less than an hour. Compared with open surgical biopsy, the procedure is about one-third the cost.

Recovery time is brief and patients can quickly resume their usual activities. Generally, the procedure is not painful and the results are as accurate as when a tissue sample is removed surgically.

A new digital mammography unit is en route to be followed by a new small bore MRI to complete KCH’s new Breast Center, expected to launch within the next few months.

With our new addition, patients will greatly benefit from the noninvasive opportunities of stereotactic breast biopsy for diagnosing breast abnormalities and tumors and aid in the earlier detection of breast cancer.

Once again KCH is leading the way in diagnostic imaging in the area. KCH has the only stationary, in-house stereotactic breast biopsy equipment and room in the area. With the new technology of the breast center, there will be no need for patients to leave the area for diagnosis.

This new technology will find a home among the arsenal at KCH which includes: 32 slice CT, Dual head nuclear medicine camera, all-digital x-ray, fluoroscopy, chest system, MR, PET/CT, the latest advances in ultrasound, the gold standard in full body bone density, capsule endoscopy (camera in a pill) and our top-rated mammography program, with same-day mammography results, soon to be digital.

For more information, contact KCH Diagnostic Imaging at 814-837-4580 or 1-800-837-8585, extension 4580 or contact your health care provider.

Pictured, with the patient on the table in the new breast biopsy room at KCH are Julie Laughner, R.T. (R), (M); Lisa Redmond, R.T. (R), (M), RDMS, (AB), (BR), RVT; and Jamil Sarfraz, M.D. Radiologist.
(Photo courtesy of Kane Community Hospital)