Stereotactic Breast Biopsy

There are a few things we ask you to do to prepare before your procedure.

• Do not take medicines that can thin the blood unless you are directed to continue taking them by your referring physician. Some patients may have special reasons they need to stay on their blood thinners, such as a recent metal bore cardiac stent or clotting disorder. Always listen to your referring clinician regarding those decisions. We advise against taking aspirin if you are solely on it for prevention reasons.
• Do not use deodorant, body lotion, or powders on the breast, as these may produce false alarms as small aluminum or metallic particles may mimic calcifications.
• Refrain from any rigorous activities for one to two days after the procedure. So plan your tennis match either before or several days after your stereotactic breast biopsy. If you are planning an active vacation to include activities such as swimming, rigorous hiking, or skiing, consider postponing the biopsy until you return. Even though there will be only a tiny nick on the skin, we want to minimize the chance of soreness, infection, or bleeding at the site.

• You will lie on your abdomen on a special padded table that looks like a massage table.
• Several assistants will help with the procedure, including the technologist, the radiologist, and a patient navigator.
• The technologist will obtain a few low-dose mammography magnification views for targeting.
• The radiologist will anesthetize the skin with a tiny numbing needle and use stereotactic guidance to see where the calcifications are located in the 3D space.
• Another special needle called a “probe” is inserted at the target site, through which more anesthetic is given and a light vacuum is directed to the calcifications. The obtained sample will be X-rayed and sampled by the pathologist.

You will likely experience slight bruising of the breast for a few days. Some women may feel a lump under the biopsy site for up to a week. This lump is from the serum and blood that the body sends to the area as its natural way of healing. If the lump is the size of a small plum or larger, please reach out to our clinical care team and select the “physician/patient pathology” phone option to discuss any changes to your protocol.

Infection is extremely rare, but call us if you have a fever, chills, or any redness at the site of the biopsy. Some people may experience contact sensitivity from the tape on the skin, which appears red, but this is often associated with a geographic non-warm, non-streaking area that perfectly fits the line of the tape. If you are sensitive to the tape, remove it and wear a tight sports bra instead. Call your referring clinician or us if you have any concerns.

The results of your breast stereotactic biopsy will be available in 1-2 working days. The Women’s Imaging Center Patient Navigator and the Radiologist correlate the results and coordinate any follow-up care or management indicated. Follow-up magnification images after the biopsy may be recommended even for benign biopsies. A contrast breast MRI can help with treatment planning if the biopsy proves to be cancer. We will work with your referring clinician to coordinate an individualized treatment plan with surgeons or oncologists to fit your particular needs.