Magnetic seed localisation for non-palpable lesions in patients undergoing breast conservative surgery

Purpose: Breast-conservative surgery is the standard procedure for breast cancer when tumour resection does not lead to significant cosmetic sequelae. The usual technique to locate non-palpable lesions is the wire-guided localization (WGL). However, the WGL may migrate and cause interference with the electro cautery. The placement of the WGL has to be performed on the day before or the day of the surgery, causing organizational problems. To optimize care pathway and increase ambulatory activity, the authors studied the feasibility and efficacy of a 5-mm iron seed MAGSEED. Materials and Methods: During four months, 20 seeds were placed in 19 patients undergoing a lumpectomy for non-palpable breast lesions. The evaluation questionnaire was filled by radiologists, surgeons, and patients. Results: All clips were detected. The radiological and surgical team found the MAGSEED simple and intuitive. Placement was done by ultrasound and stereotaxic guidance up to 15 days before surgery. Time of lumpectomy was reduced to an average of 11 minutes. Patients' pain level was low (2/10). Conclusion: The use of MAGSEED for the detection of non-palpable breast lesions is simple, safe, and feasible. A comparative randomized prospective study should be performed between MAGSEED and WGL to study the medico-economic outcomes and the surgical and radiological benefits of the magnetic seed.