TRIPLE TEST IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF BREAST LUMPS: PHYSICAL EXAMINATION, MAMMOGRAPHY AND FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY

Abstract

Triple test (physical examination, mammography and FNAC) has become the standard procedure in preoperative diagnosis of breast lumps. It yields a high sensitivity and specifity comparable to those of histopathologic examination, in order to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of triple test, we retrospectively evaluated the data of 123 women who had histopathologic diagnosis, in General Surgery department of the Hospital of Kocaeli University. FNAC was the most sensitive and specific test, Allcaseswiththreeandalicaseswithtwomalignantresultswereproventobemalignant.Allofthecases with three benign results were benign. Positive and negative predictive values and sensitivity and specifity of triple test were higher than those of the tests one by one. We conclude that triple test is a reliable test in preoperative diagnosis of breast lumps and can be routinely used.