Contents:
- Medical Video: Stereotactic Breast Biopsy
- Why do you need stereotactic breast biopsy?
- Risk of stereotactic breast biopsy
- How to prepare for stereotactic breast biopsy
- How stereotactic breast biopsy is done
- What happens after a stereotactic breast biopsy
- Results from stereotactic breast biopsy
Medical Video: Stereotactic Breast Biopsy
Stereotactic breast biopsy is a surgical procedure that uses mammography to collect tissue samples from breast lumps. This is usually done because your doctor suspects a lump that may be cancerous.
A mammography is a special form of X-rays used in the breast. It is recommended as a preventive screening tool for breast cancer in women over the age of 40.
Stereotactic breast biopsy uses X-rays from a mammogram to find problems in the breast. Images help direct specialists so that they can take small samples of the network. The sample is then tested for cancer cells in the laboratory.
Why do you need stereotactic breast biopsy?
Breast biopsy is usually done to investigate the existence of irregularities, such as lumps, in the breast. Breast lumps may look scary. However, according to the Mayo Clinic, benign (or non-cancerous) breast lumps occur in about four in five cases.
Breast biopsy is usually done if your doctor is worried after seeing the results of a mammogram or breast ultrasound. The doctor can also request this test if a lump is found during a physical examination.
This form of breast biopsy called stereotactic is often used when small growth or calcium accumulation is detected on a mammogram, but does not appear on ultrasound.
Risk of stereotactic breast biopsy
Stereotactic breast biopsy is a relatively simple and low-risk procedure. However, there are the following risks:
- Change the appearance of your breasts, depending on the size of tissue removed
- Bruising and breast swelling
- Biopsy site infection
- Pain in the part that was injected
If you follow your doctor's instructions on how to treat your wound, it will reduce the risk of infection.
If you are pregnant or worried that you might get pregnant, radiation from X-rays can harm your fetus. Be sure to tell your doctor so that alternative biopsy methods can be considered.
Complications from biopsies are rare. The risks associated with the procedure are not comparable to the benefits obtained. Remember, the sooner breast cancer is detected, the faster treatment can begin.
How to prepare for stereotactic breast biopsy
Before a breast biopsy, tell your doctor about the allergies you have, especially the history of an allergic reaction to anesthesia. Also, be sure to mention the medications you use − including over-the-counter medicines such as aspirin or supplements − because this can cause blood thinning.
During the examination, you can lie down for up to one hour. Talk to your doctor if you are worried that this will be a problem for you.
You will be asked to change clothes into a hospital gown. You should avoid using moisturizers on your breasts and remove all jewelry and any accessories on the body before the biopsy.
You may be given a cold compress after the procedure to help relieve pain and inflammation. Wear a bra to help make compresses not shift.
How stereotactic breast biopsy is done
Before the procedure starts, you have to take off your clothes from the waist up.
A stereotactic biopsy will take place in the operating room. You will lie face down on a soft table with holes in it. Your breasts will be inserted into this hole.
The table will lift a few feet in the air so your radiologist can access your breasts even though there is a hole in the table. The radiologist will then use two plates and press on the two of your breasts. This allows them to get X-ray images of your breasts and identify abnormalities in breast tissue.
Part of this procedure can take 30 minutes to an hour. After the right picture is taken, your breast will numb with an anesthetic injection. Then, the surgeon will make an incision "usually small about a quarter of an inch" in your breast.
An example of breast tissue will be taken through an incision using a needle or probe. Some small tissue samples will be taken and sent to the laboratory for testing.
After the sample is taken, the surgeon will sew the incision and cover it with a bandage. A small metal clip or needle can be left at the place of the biopsy, so that it can be easily detected again if further testing is needed.
What happens after a stereotactic breast biopsy
You can go home after the stereotactic breast biopsy is complete.
Your tissue sample will be sent to the laboratory. This can take up to one week to be analyzed correctly.
You will be asked to treat the incision. This includes maintaining cleanliness and changing bandages. Your doctor will instruct you on how to treat the wound.
If you have a fever more than 38 degrees, or experience redness, warmth, or discharge from the biopsied part, you should contact your doctor. These are signs of infection.
Results from stereotactic breast biopsy
Your test results can come out as benign (non-cancerous), pre-cancerous, or cancer. If the sample is cancer, the results of the biopsy will also tell the type of cancer. The types of breast cancer that can be detected include:
- Ductal carcinoma: breast cancer
- Inflammation of breast cancer: a type of cancer that is rare and makes the skin of the breast appear infected
- Lobular carcinoma: cancer of the lobules or glands that produce milk
- Paget's disease: a rare cancer that affects the nipples
Your doctor will use this type of cancer and other information from biopsies to help plan your treatment. This may include lumpectomy (surgical removal of tumors), radiation, chemotherapy, hormone therapy, or mastectomy (partial or full removal of the breast).
However, there are several non-cancerous conditions that can also cause lumps in the breast. They include:
- Adenofibroma: a benign tumor of breast tissue
- Fibrocystic breast disease: painful, thick breasts caused by hormonal changes
- Intraductal papilloma: small, benign tumor in the milk duct
- Mammary fat necrosis: a lump formed by bruising or fat tissue, dead, injured
After the results are available, the doctor will explain thoroughly to you and discuss the treatment needed. Make sure all your questions are answered before you leave the doctor's office.
