A very small number of women with a palpable lump, abnormal mammogram or breast ultrasound will need a biopsy to exclude cancer. This biopsy may be done under Ultrasound or Mammographic (Stereotactic Biopsy) guidance. While we schedule you for a total of one hour, the actual biopsy procedure takes less than ten minutes.
What to expect during the procedure:
Once you are made comfortable, the Radiologist will clean and anesthetize your breast. Other than a small “bee sting” from the lidocaine, you should experience little to no pain. The biopsy needle is guided by the Radiologist into the breast nodule using Ultrasound or Mammography (stereotactic) guidance. Several specimens are obtained and once the Radiologist checks these the biopsy is over. Some women experience very minimal bleeding.
A steri strip is placed over the biopsy site- no stitches required. A dressing is placed on the breast with a cold compress to decrease swelling and bruising. Mild pain and slight bruising often occur for one to three days post biopsy. We recommend taking it easy for the rest of the day, but you may resume your normal activity the following day.
We will call you with the results as soon as we receive them from the pathologist, which is usually in two to three days. We know this procedure can cause increased anxiety in women, so please feel free to contact us with any questions and we will be happy to walk you through the process.