A surgical catheter , comprising: an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal end portion , an opposite distal end portion , a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion and an outer wall extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, the elongate flexible shaft including at least one hollow spline guide and an articulated spline comprising a plurality of spline rings at spaced locations each of the spline rings being spaced apart from each other and affixed in series to the at least one hollow spline guide, along the elongate flexible shaft; a handle attached to the proximal end portion; a localization element at the distal end portion; a biopsy device at the distal end portion; an actuation wire extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion to operate the biopsy device; a steering mechanism comprising a steering actuator at the proximal end portion and at least one pull wire connected to the steering actuator wherein the distal end portion may be moved relative to the proximal end portion by manipulating the steering actuator to apply a tension to the at least one pull wire, each hollow spline guide housing one pull wire, wherein an arc of 20 degrees to 180 degrees may be introduced into the elongate flexible shaft by manipulation of the steering actuator, and wherein manipulation of the steering actuator introduces an arc of at least 180 degrees into the elongate flexible shaft and causes the distal end portion to move such that a distance of no more than 2.54 cm (1 inch) separates two regions of the elongate flexible shaft located at opposing ends of a chord connecting two points separated by at least 180 degrees on the arc. an elongate flexible shaft having a proximal end portion , an opposite distal end portion , a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion and an outer wall extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion, the elongate flexible shaft including at least one hollow spline guide and an articulated spline comprising a plurality of spline rings at spaced locations each of the spline rings being spaced apart from each other and affixed in series to the at least one hollow spline guide, along the elongate flexible shaft; a handle attached to the proximal end portion; a localization element at the distal end portion; a biopsy device at the distal end portion; an actuation wire extending from the proximal end portion to the distal end portion to operate the biopsy device; a steering mechanism comprising a steering actuator at the proximal end portion and at least one pull wire connected to the steering actuator wherein the distal end portion may be moved relative to the proximal end portion by manipulating the steering actuator to apply a tension to the at least one pull wire, each hollow spline guide housing one pull wire, wherein an arc of 20 degrees to 180 degrees may be introduced into the elongate flexible shaft by manipulation of the steering actuator, and wherein manipulation of the steering actuator introduces an arc of at least 180 degrees into the elongate flexible shaft and causes the distal end portion to move such that a distance of no more than 2.54 cm (1 inch) separates two regions of the elongate flexible shaft located at opposing ends of a chord connecting two points separated by at least 180 degrees on the arc. <EOS>