Biopsy was today. Now, I have a question.

Hopefloatsagainandagain

I had my biopsy this afternoon. It dI'd not hurt at all. I watched the whole procedure on the ultrasound screen. I know this sounds like a dumb question, but is it normal for the mass to get smaller after the biopsy? It was very, small to begin with. After the core biopsy, it was even smaller. I saw the tissue they removed. The nurse said something about cancerous masses not decreasing in size after the biopsy. I'm just curious.

djmammo

Hope

I have never heard that comment before about what does and does not decrease in size after a biopsy. Interesting.

There are a variety of biopsy devices out there. My favorite is an 18 g spring loaded device. It samples the target by going through it like an arrow through an apple. Benign or malignant you dont see any change in target size.

The motorized, vacuum assisted devices' needles are usually larger in diameter, taking a larger sample per pass than the smaller spring loaded ones. These devices are positioned behind the target (below on the screen) and portions of the target are shaved off the bottom. With enough passes, especially if the target was relatively small to begin with, it will look smaller afterward regardless.

If there is a cystic component within the mass, when that is punctured the target could appear smaller in an abrupt manner.

Mamasha

djmammo,

Would it be normal to feel a spray from the spring loaded device? I felt like a mist. I told radiologist and she said she can move up the paper guard. I kinda have in the back of my mind was that spreading my csmcer?