Your doctor has recommended that you undergo a breast biopsy procedure.
Biopsy is a general term which simply means the removal of tissue
for microscopic examination. Your doctor intends to remove tissue from the breast
not because you necessarily ill but because breast biopsy
is a very accurate method for analyzing breast tissue.
In your case you have a lump in your breast which is too small to be felt by touch.
Your radiologist detected this abnormality
while reviewing your recent mammogram or breast X-ray.
Let's take a moment to look at the reasons why lumps form in breast tissue.
The breast is made of layers of skin, fat and breast tissue - all of which overlay the pectoralis muscle.
Breast tissue itself is made up of a network of tiny milk-carrying ducts
and there are three ways in which a lump can form among them.
Most women experienced periodic changes to their breasts.
Cysts are some of the most common kinds of tissues that can grow large enough to be felt and to cause tenderness.
Cysts often grow and then shrink without any medical intervention.
A second kind of lump is caused by changes in breast tissue triggered by the growth of a cyst.
Even after the cyst itself has gone away, it can leave fibrous tissue behind.
This scar tissue can often be large enough to be felt.
The third kind of growth is a tumor.
Tumors can be either benign or cancerous
and it is concern about this type of growth that has lead your doctor to recommend breast biopsy.
Before surgery you'll be taken to a radiology lab,
their the radiologist will inject a small amount of anesthetic
in order to numb your breast. Then using your last mammogram as a guide
the radiologist will insert a thin wire into your breast,
moving the end of it towards the area of abnormality.
This wire will serve as a pointer for the surgeon during your operation.
The radiologist will perform another mammogram
in order to verify the wire has been placed correctly.
It is possible to the wire will have to be moved
or repositioned and a mammogram taken once again.
After allowing a few minutes for the anesthetic to take a fact,
the surgeon will make a small incision.
Once the incision has been made, your doctor will begin cutting along the wire
moving towards the abnormality located at the end.
You will feel some tugging and pulling but you should not feel any sharp pain.
If you do please tell the doctor and you'll be given more anesthetic.
Once the specimen is removed the doctor may have it X-rayed
in order to determine whether or not the correct issue has been removed
Very rarely the doctor may decide based on this X-ray
to remove additional tissue. Your doctor and nurse will remove the guide wire,
enclose the skin all over the incision as neatly
and as cosmetically as they are able.
Finally a sterile dressing is applied.
Your specimen will be sent immediately to a lab for microscopic analysis,
your doctor will tell you when to expect results from those tests.