The goal of this retrospective study was the correlation of the ultrasound criteria to histological results of biopsy of the solid breast lesions and a decrease in the number of ultrasound-guided aspiration biopsies. Between January 1996 and April 2002, 1224 new cases of solid breast masses were found. They were evaluated according to 8 ultrasound criteria and the result of mamography and both consequently marked either 0 (for benign criterion) and 1 (for malignant criterion). The authors assumed that lesions marked 0–2 were benign, 3–5 were undetermined and 6–9 were malignant. A total of 484 lesions got the mark 0–2 – all of them being histologically benign. From the total 208 masses evaluated 3–5, 144 were of benign etiology and 64 of them were malignant. The last group consisted of 532 lesions marked 6–9, from which 508 were malignant and 24 showed postoperative changes. In this study the sensitivity was 96.59 % and the specificity 81.35%. Ultrasound examination is a valuable and reliable method in solid breast masses diagnosis. The lesionsmarked 0–2 aremost oftenof benign etiology anddo not require aspiration biopsy.Thelesions marked 6–9 are referred to surgical therapy and therefore aspiration biopsy is not necessary. Ultrasound guided aspiration biopsy is recommended in lesions marked 3–5.

        Key words: interventional ultrasonography – breast carcinoma – biopsy