BIOPSIES

There are several ways a doctor can perform a biopsy on a suspicious area.  They are as follows:

Fine Needle Aspiration

A Fine Needle Aspiration  is performed in a doctor’s office, usually the radiologist’s office.  A small needle  is inserted into what appears to be a fluid filled cyst. A doctor can do this by feel, if the lump is close to the skin and easy to identify, or by the guidance of a mammography machine or ultrasound which would guide the needle to the area that needs testing.

Sometimes, during this test, a doctor discovers that what was thought to be a fluid filled cyst is actually a solid tumor. When this happens, they withdraw the needle and go to the next type of biopsy which is a Core Biopsy.

Core Biopsy

A Core Biopsy is performed the same way although it is guided by ultrasound, mammogram or MRI technology. The needle is larger and can remove larger pieces of tissue than a Fine Needle and the samples are then sent out to pathology for testing. A newer machine, called the vacuum assisted needle, not only removes tissue, but delivers numbing medication to the site at the same time making it far more tolerable.

Excisional Biopsy

This biopsy is done after a tumor has been identified by a radiologist and is performed in an ambulatory care setting under a local or twilight anesthetic. With the excisional biopsy, a surgeon removes the entire tumor and sends it out to pathology. You go home the same day with usually nothing more than a few steri-strips and gauze bandage.

Incisional Biopsy

This biopsy is performed in an ambulatory care center as well. However, with an incisional biopsy, only a portion of the tumor is removed. Usually this is performed on very large tumors. The reason they do not remove the entire mass is because if it is cancerous they can shrink it with chemotherapy given before surgery so that the option of a lumpectomy verses a mastectomy can be made. It also is the procedure of choice if the tumor is large in comparison to the size of the breast which would mean that the cosmetic result would not be appropriate. This offers the doctors and you an opportunity to make an informed decision on how you wish to proceed once you know the status of your tumor.