What You Should Know About Breast Stereotactic Biopsy Procedures

If a Patient’s Breast MRI in Aventura Shows Abnormalities, a Breast Stereotactic Biopsy May be Needed

Breast MRI in Aventura is one of the most common diagnostic imaging tests performed in the area. When a patient’s results show abnormalities, further testing is often required in order to determine whether the area in question is benign or cancerous.
 

 
One of the follow-up tests to an abnormal breast MRI in Aventura is a breast stereotactic biopsy, an image-guided biopsy that allows tissue samples to be taken in a minimally invasive manner. A breast stereotactic biopsy uses an ultrasound, MRI or digital mammogram in order to guide a needle to the exact site of the abnormality. The needle removes a small sample of the lesion for further testing.
 
There are two types of breast stereotactic biopsy procedures: vacuum-assisted device (VAD) and core needle (CN). As its name suggests, VAD uses a vacuum-powered instrument to collect multiple tissue samples with single needle insertion. CN uses a hollow needle to remove one breast tissue sample per needle insertion.
A breast stereotactic biopsy is commonly performed at the center for Digital Medical Imaging, located in Aventura, or at one of the three Comprehensive Breast Care Centers located throughout South Florida, by a specially trained radiologist. In most cases, it is done on an outpatient basis, using local anesthesia.
During the procedure, the patient lies face-down on a special table that allows the breast to drop through an opening. The breast is compressed and held in position while the table is raised. This allows the radiologist the room he or she needs in order to perform the procedure beneath the table.
 
From there, several images are taken of the breast, and then local anesthesia is administered. Once the patient is numb, the radiologist makes a small cut in the skin, inserts the needle, and guides it to the location in question using the imaging coordinates. Additional images are then taken to ensure that the needle has reached the abnormality and is correctly positioned.
 
Once the samples have been obtained, the needled is taken out, and a last set of images are obtained. Small, harmless “markers” may be placed at some patients’ biopsy locations, to ensure that the areas can be located again in the future. Then, the cut will be covered with a dressing, with no stitches required.
 
Most women report minimal or no pain during a breast stereotactic biopsy, and it is rare for the breast to be permanently scarred afterward. The greatest discomfort usually comes from lying still for the duration of the procedure, which takes about an hour.
 
In general, normal activity can be resumed one full day after the breast stereotactic biopsy. Some bruising is perfectly normal and can be treated with over-the-counter pain relievers or a cold pack. However, any excessive swelling, bleeding, drainage, redness, or heat should be reported to a doctor right away, as these could be signs of infection or other complications.
 
A breast stereotactic biopsy is a good way to evaluate calcium deposits or tiny masses that are not visible on breast ultrasound. However, abnormalities with diffuse calcium deposits scattered throughout the breast can be more difficult to evaluate with this method. In addition, areas near the chest wall may be tested in a different manner in order to avoid the rare risk that the needed could puncture the chest wall and collapse a lung. A breast stereotactic biopsy can also sometimes miss a lesion or underestimate how widespread the disease has become. If the procedure cannot be performed – or if the diagnosis remains unclear afterward – a surgical biopsy is often necessary.
 
After receiving the results of an abnormal breast MRI in Aventura, patients should talk to their doctors about the options for having a minimally invasive breast stereotactic biopsy. For anyone able to undergo the procedure, it’s important to follow the doctor’s and radiologist’s advice in order to help ensure a successful biopsy.