Interest in needle biopsy methods (core cut-, drill-, and fine-needle biopsy) has recently increased considerably because of the rise in screening mammography and new developments in the therapy of breast cancer. In order to achieve adequate results using needle biopsy and to avoid complications, certain technical details must be strictly adhered to. An experienced surgeon can achieve a sensitivity of above 90% in the diagnosis of breast carcinoma with all three methods. Considering the advantages and disadvantages of these three methods of needle biopsy, we prefer--based on our own experience--high-speed core-cut biopsy for the morphological evaluation of breast lesions.