Tomosynthesis guided biopsy

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Published: 3 Feb 2023
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Prof Shilpa Lad - NM Medical Centre, Mumbai, India

Prof Shilpa Lad speaks to ecancer about tomosynthesis guided biopsy.

She explains the difference between 2D and 3D tomosynthesis. With the advent of 3D tomosynthesis, there is now an ability to carry out biopsies with 3D tomosynthesis.

She further explains how to carry out a 3D tomosynthesis-guided biopsy and why early training of radiologists is important.
 

A few other topics that we discussed were techniques for doing advanced biopsies. Now there are advancements in technology. There was a time when mammography was performed, then we started doing 3D tomosynthesis. 3D tomosynthesis, the difference between a 2D mammogram and 3D tomosynthesis is somewhat like a chest X-ray versus CT scan of the chest. So where we were acquiring a 2D image of a three-dimensional structure, now we are acquiring slice-by-slice images of the breast. We are seeing more so we are identifying more numbers of cancers which is a good thing if we are catching them early. But we need tissue diagnosis. We need an ability to diagnose them in time and therefore with the advent of 3D tomosynthesis came biopsy abilities with 3D tomosynthesis. Therefore, one of the topics that we discussed was how to perform a 3D-tomosynthesis guided vacuum-assisted biopsy to enable us in timely diagnosis of breast cancer.

Now, awareness, knowledge and ability to do these biopsies among radiologists are also important. Starting at an early age, like during residency, if residents get exposed to this then by the time they are done they will be out into the population and in the country, wherever their areas of work, they will be able to practise these technologies which will aid in the timely diagnosis of cancer.