Biopsy
To determine whether a growth is cancerous, a biopsy (tissue sample) is extracted for further testing. Biopsies are often used in diagnosing cancer when a mass is found during a screening exam. Ultrasound guidance in biopsies is useful to accurately locate the tissue in question. It provides a safer way to obtain a tissue sample since it does not require general anesthesia. The recovery time is much faster and the exam is less expensive compared to a surgical excisional biopsy.
What can I expect during a biopsy?
Your skin will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution and injected with a local anesthetic. You may feel a mild sting upon injection. The biopsy needle will be inserted under the guidance of the ultrasound transducer, and small samples will be taken by the radiologist and sent to the lab for microscopic examination. This type of exam has virtually no recovery time and will leave very little, if any, scarring. The procedure takes approximately one hour and you will receive a report from you doctor within a few days.
What is the preparation for a biopsy?
Do not eat or drink after midnight. Prostate biopsies must have a laxative the night before followed by an enema the morning of the exam. Take antibiotics as directed.
Breast biopsy
Breast biopsy is a tissue sample that is taken from your breast using a biopsy needle (core needle biopsy) or it may be sampled during surgery (excisional biopsy). The tissue gathered is then examined under a microscope.
What can I expect from a core needle biopsy?
Your breast will be positioned as in a regular mammogram. After compression, your skin will be cleaned with an antiseptic solution. It will then be injected with a local anesthetic agent. You may feel a mild sting during the injection. The biopsy needle will be inserted and small samples will be taken under guidance of the radiologist and breast imaging technicians. This type of biopsy requires no hospital stay, no general anesthetic and virtually no recovery time. If the results are benign, it may replace an open surgical biopsy. Core needle biopsy is less expensive and leaves almost no external scarring. The procedure will take approximately one hour. It will take a few days to receive the results.
For more information, please call: (936) 634-8311