Early detection and a fast, accurate diagnosis is the key to overcoming breast cancer.
That’s why our center is proud to offer the most significant advances available for the detection and diagnosis of breast cancer through the Hologic® Affirm® Prone Breast Biopsy System and the Brevera® Breast Biopsy System.
Your doctor has recommended that you have a breast biopsy because a suspicious area was seen on your mammogram.
This is a simple procedure performed in the office by our team of breast imaging specialists.
About the procedure
Our facility offers Genius™ 3D Mammograpy™ exams and 3D™ breast biopsy, the most advanced breast cancer screening and minimally invasive X-ray breast biopsy available today. This technology allows your doctor to locate and biopsy small or subtle areas that appeared suspicious on your mammogram. In most cases, this 3D™ biopsy procedure will reduce the amount of time and X-ray dose used to collect the tissue sample compared to other X-ray breast biopsy procedures.
During the biopsy, a small sample of tissue will be collected from the suspicious area. The tissue samples will be sent to a pathologist, a physician specializing in the analysis of tissue samples under a microscope. The pathologist will provide the biopsy results to your physician, who will review the results with you.
This outpatient procedure requires minimal preparation and recovery time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Only a small sampling of tissue from the suspicious area will be taken.
The radiation dose during a 3D™ biopsy procedure is less than that of a standard X-ray biopsy procedure because it replaces several 2D imaging exposures with a single 3D™ imaging exposure.
Biopsy times vary depending on each patient’s situation. Typically, the total time in the doctor’s office for a 3D™ biopsy is 45 minutes from the time you enter the exam room until you leave. The actual procedure to locate and collect the tissue samples is about 15 minutes. This includes the time it takes for the doctor to remove tissue, which is usually less than one minute.
Each patient is different, but you might feel a slight sting or pinch when the anesthetic is first being administered to your breast. Numbing the breast prior to the biopsy should make the rest of the procedure as pain-free as possible.
Your breast may be slightly tender and you may experience some bruising at the biopsy site. Typically, most patients can resume many of their normal activities the same day as the procedure. Your doctor will advise you of post-biopsy procedure care.