Vacuum Assisted Device

For stereotactic biopsies and MRI-guided biopsies, I use a vacuum-assisted device.

For ultrasound-guided biopsies, I have found both core needles and vacuum devices to be equally successful in my experience, although the scientific literature reports fewer false-negatives with the vacuum-assisted devices. I prefer to use the smaller, less expensive, less scary core needle when possible. If a lesion is very small or subtle on the sonogram, I tend to use the vacuum-assisted device to obtain larger specimens and ensure adequate sampling. For stereotactic biopsies and MRI-guided biopsies, I use a vacuum-assisted device.

For ultrasound-guided biopsies, I have found both core needles and vacuum devices to be equally successful in my experience, although the scientific literature reports fewer false-negatives with the vacuum-assisted devices. I prefer to use the smaller, less expensive, less scary core needle when possible. If a lesion is very small or subtle on the sonogram, I tend to use the vacuum-assisted device to obtain larger specimens and ensure adequate sampling.