03-03-2026 /

3D-Guided Vacuum Biopsy in Photon-Counting Spiral Breast CT — Proof of Concept Published

A new proof of concept marks an important step in extending our photon-counting spiral breast CT nu:view from advanced imaging toward image-guided intervention.

Published open access in Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde (Thieme, 2026), the study demonstrates for the first time the technical feasibility of stereotactic vacuum-assisted biopsy in photon-counting spiral breast CT:

Schulz-Wendtland R, Wacker T, Heinemann D, Steiding C, Kolditz D, Althoff F, Wenkel E, Ohlmeyer S, Wetzl M, Mpourazanis G, Tsirkas P, Beckmann MW, Uder M.
Stereotactic Vacuum-Assisted Biopsy in Photon-Counting Dedicated Spiral Breast CT: A Proof of Concept.
Geburtshilfe und Frauenheilkunde, 2026.

The publication describes the integration of our newly developed biopsy unit into our breast CT system.

In this experimental phantom study, the authors demonstrate:

• Fully 3D-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy
• Precise three-dimensional target planning
• Successful biopsy of both a mass lesion (~100 HU) and a microcalcification cluster (125–200 µm)
• 100% localization and retrieval of targets

Procedure times ranged between 12 and 17 minutes (12:08 for the mass lesion; 17:20 for the microcalcifications), supporting clinically realistic and workflow-compatible intervention times.

Until now, no interventional biopsy system was available for findings detectable exclusively with high-resolution photon-counting spiral breast CT. This study shows that image-guided histological verification within this modality is technically feasible.

Why this matters

Photon-counting spiral breast CT enables true isotropic 3D imaging and reliable visualization of microcalcifications. Detection alone, however, is not sufficient, histological confirmation remains essential in complementary breast diagnostics.

Enabling 3D-guided vacuum-assisted biopsy within the same imaging environment establishes the technical foundation for:

• Targeted biopsy of CT-detected lesions
• Fully 3D image-guided interventional workflows
• Integration into established diagnostic pathways (BI-RADS, S3, European Guidelines)

Further clinical studies are required, as clearly stated by the authors. But this publication marks a decisive step in the evolution of dedicated breast CT toward interventional capability.

Congratulations to all authors for this rigorous and forward-looking work!

At ECR in Vienna from March 4 – 8 we will present the retrofit-capable biopsy unit for nu:view, initial clinical experiences, and workflow integration. Join our industry session with clinical experts on Friday, March 5^th or visit us at booth 210, Hall X2.

The study is available open access via Thieme here.