PURPOSE: To evaluate the use of a magnetic seed localization of breast lesions preoperatively.
MATERIALS & METHODS: Eight magseeds were inserted into 8 non-palpable breast lesions in 6 patients preoperatively. All lesions were malignant, four invasive ductal carcinoma, 3 IDC with DCIS (ductal carcinoma in situ) and one DCIS with ADH. . All seeds were detected with the Sentimag detector and removed during surgery. Surgical specimens were X-ray and showed the magseeds.
RESULTS: All of the 8 magseeds placed during one month of clinical use were easily placed and all successfully retrieved during surgery. The mean time from seed placement to surgery was 24 hours. Lesion size preoperatively range betwee 0.5-1.3 cm with an average of 0.8 cm. Six seeds inserted under sonographic guidance and 2 under stereotactic guidance. Seven of the 8 magseeds were inserted at the lesion site. The first magseed that was diploid under stereotactic guidance, was not inserted at the correct lesion site due to technical issues and was removed during surgery. No complications or other adverse events recorded. All breast lesions were removed surgically with clean margins.
CONCLUSION: Early clinical experience suggests that the magnetic seeds are a feasible, safe and accurate mean of preoperative nonpalpable breast lesion localization
