Postgraduate Course Diagnostic Pathology of Core Needle and Vacuum-assisted Biopsies of the Breast

During the course, the participants will be able to review at least 60 cases dealing with core needle & vacuum-assisted biopsies of a variety of benign and malignant breast neoplasms and tumor-like lesions. Several common diagnostic problems including papillary neoplasms, intraductal proliferative lesions, variants of ductal and lobular intraepithelial neoplasias, and infiltrating carcinomas are included. Examples of adenosis with pseudoinvasion and benign complex sclerosing lesions simulating carcinomas are included. Several examples of "B-3 categories" (lesions with uncertain malignant potential), such as "flat epithelial atypia", lobular intraepithelial neoplasia, radial scartype lesions, and (complex) papillary neoplasms will be extensively discussed. In addition, uncommon and (very) difficult cases are also included.

On each day, at least 20 cases will be extensively discussed by an interactive approach (“live” microscopic presentation of the cases). Particular attention will be paid to the diagnostic criteria with systematic analysis of differential diagnoses. Value and limitations of immunohistochemistry will be demonstrated and critically discussed. An update of histopathology with discussion of clinical significance of benign, intraepithelial, and malignant tumors of the breast will be provided. In addition to the case discussion, lectures by experts in radiology, pathology, and surgery will be provided.

The participants will have the opportunity to review the digitized cases (virtual microscopy) four weeks prior to and four weeks after the course.