COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF FINE NEEDLE ASPIRATION CYTOLOGY AND TRU-CUT BIOPSY IN THE DIAGNOSIS AND GRADING OF BREAST LESIONS: A PROSPECTIVE OBSERVATIONAL STUDY

Abstract

Background Accurate pathological diagnosis of suspicious breast lesions is essential for appropriate therapeutic planning. Fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) is a rapid and minimally invasive technique, whereas Tru-cut biopsy provides superior tissue architecture and histological grading. This study compared the diagnostic utility and grading concordance of FNAC with Tru-cut biopsy in clinically suspicious breast lesions. Methods A prospective observational study was conducted on 70 consecutive patients with clinically suspicious breast lesions between July 2024 and December 2025. All patients underwent both FNAC and Tru-cut biopsy. Cytological grading was performed using the Robinson grading system, while histological grading was assessed using the Nottingham modification of the Scarff–Bloom–Richardson grading system. Agreement between the two techniques was evaluated using Cohen's kappa coefficient.