Can someone tell me about biopsies?

Jorf

I've been patiently waiting for the time to pass between my mammo last Friday and my biopsy next Wednesday. I have my regularly scheduled onc appointment tomorrow so I don't think that'll be a lot of fun. But, anyway, I am scheduled for a stereotactic biopsy and want to hear from someone who's had one as to what it's like. The rad said that it would be stereotactic (meaning with mammo?) or ultrasound. I would hope they would try with the US first for less pain.

My other biopsy was dead easy because the lump was gigantic (or seemed like it to me) and very obvious. This area's about 6mm and not palpable so I guess they've got to go searching. 

Thanks for info!

 

iodine

If you have the US, as I did, a local anesthetic is injected and then I laid face down on a table with a hole that my boob dropped thru (LOL, not a lot to "drop") and after the lesion was identified by US, the surgeon used a "gun" (my word, not his) to automatically insert a device that withdrew a tiny cylinder of tissue.  I have to admit that I don't remember if my breast was compressed or not.  Likely someone else will be able to tell you.

It hurt for just a few seconds each time he did it.  I think it was 3 or 4.  He put a round bandaid on it and my dh and I went out for drinks.  I had 2 martinis.  I took nothing for pain (guess I didn't need it!) and don't remember any f/u pain.  Likely I was sore, but not much more.

I'd take that any day over the wire placement.  In fact, that's why I went out of town for the bx, only one available locally was with the mammo/wire.  NO WAY

Good luck and I hope you get your results quickly and with B9 all the way!

Jorf

Thanks Dotti,

I'm hoping for the US - seemed the rad was better able to locate it on US than the mammo anyway but maybe that's 'cause I was there. He was a sweetheart and I hope he does the bx. Sounds like the "gun" is the same thing my surgeon used 3 years ago and it didn't hurt at all. I think it's the wire one that I remember people complaining about over the years. I've got to go back to work after mine so I'm expecting not to have any pain. Like the martini idea tho. In fact, our medical director is taking us all out to dinner that night.... And the next night is our annual holiday journal club dinner.... That's lots of free martinis to get me through the scary days.

lvtwoqlt

Jorf, I have had 3 sterotactic biopsies with the mammo done at different times. My biopsies were done on a table where I was laying face down and the put my breast in a mammo clamp and they took 2 pictures from different angles to determine where the calcifications were. they numbed me up and the 'gun' was used to shoot the needle into the numb area and vacumed out some tissue. I was in that position for approx 35 -50 minutes and unable to move until they determined that they 'got' all the suspicious area. The first one I did without any valium the last two the doctor gave me a script for 2 valium to take after I got to the hospital. I highly recommend the valium. Although after taking the valium I couldn't drive or even walk straight until I slept it off, I went home with an ice pack in my bra and didn't do anything the rest of the day.

You have to know a man came up with these types of biopsy devices to use 'guns' and 'shoot' the breast tissue.

The techs and the doctor were all very helpful in keeping me calm and explaining what noises I would be hearing before they did anything so I wouldn't jump when I heard the strange noises.

Good luck

Member_of_the_Club

I've had mammogram-guided, MRI-guided and ultrasound-guided biopsies.  The ultrasound one was just a regular needle biopsy where they used the u/s to get a fix.  The mammogram-guided biopsy involved lying on a table with my breast in a hole except that I have tiny breasts so I had to put my entire arm through the hole.  They use the thing that pops like a gun but its really just another type of needle.  After every stereotactic biopsy I've had they've stuck a bandaid on it and sent me on my way.  I had some soreness and bruising but worked out the day after.  After my MRI-guided biopsy they wrapped my entire upper body in an ace bandage.  When i said that I've had a bazillion of these and never needed the ace bandage, the tech said thats how we do it in this wing of radiology.  OK.  It made no different in the soreness and bruising but I did look even more flat-chested than normal, if thats possible.

 I've had four breast biopsies since bc and every one of them was benign, even when my docs had a high level of concern. 

Jorf

Thanks so much. I think I'll bring my ipod in.

And MOTC you've just made my day saying they were all benign!!!!! At least there's hope.