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Biomedical subjects

D J Dronkers

Publications and source records attributed to D J Dronkers.

7 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed1997

Do non-specific minimal signs in a biennial mammographic breast cancer screening programme need further diagnostic assessment?

Mammographic features such as small vague densities, indefinable microcalcifications, subtle architectural distortions, alone or in combination, are non-specific appearances for breast cancer. These features sometimes precede malignancy and a decisive strategy on how to deal with non-specific minimal signs in a breast cancer screening programme is therefore desirable. After studying the prevalence of these signs in a Dutch Breast Cancer Screening Centre and estimating the risk of participants with these signs acquiring breast cancer within 2 years, we have developed such a strategy. Non-specific minimal signs were seen on the mammograms of 53 of 500 (10.6%) participants, aged 50-70 years, in this programme. After retrospective analysis of the mammograms of 254 patients with screen-detected or interval carcinoma, non-specific minimal signs were detected in 77 cases. Combining the incidence of breast cancer with the difference between the expected number of non-specific minimal signs in the screening programme and its actual occurrence in previous mammograms of patients with breast cancer, the risk of cancer in women with these signs, additional to that of screened women in general (additional risk), is calculated as being 0.5%. Invasive breast cancer in women with previously detected non-specific minimal signs demonstrated a favourable stage at diagnosis (axillary metastasis in 23% vs 37% in cancers without these previous signs, p < or = 0.05). Our strategy for follow-up in case of non-specific minimal signs remains unchanged because of the low additional risk and favourable staging, and is restricted to an invitation for the next screening round in 2 years time.

Aged↗
PubMed1992

Stereotaxic core biopsy of breast lesions.

In 70 selected patients with suspect breast lesions at mammography, accurate, high-speed stereotaxic core-cut biopsy (SCCB) was performed with a biopsy gun. In 17 of the patients, no surgery was performed. The results of SCCB were normal in 11 of these patients; in six patients, the lesion disappeared after SCCB. In 53 of the patients, SCCB was followed by surgical biopsy. In 48 cases (91%), the results of SCCB and surgical biopsy were concordant. Of the 45 carcinomas found at surgery, 41 (91%) were correctly diagnosed with SCCB. There were no false-positive results. SCCB was nondiagnostic (no representative material sampled) in three patients (6%), and in two patients (4%) a false-negative result was obtained. The infiltrating character of the tumor was correctly diagnosed with SCCB in 80% of cases. These results confirm that this radiologic procedure is an acceptable alternative to excisional biopsy.

Biopsy, Needle↗