Solid nodule - should I see breast surgeon or have FNA first?

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Svet
Svet Member Posts: 2
edited February 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

Good morning, ladies. I have newsolid module found on breast US as part of routine Mammo/US for which FNA was recommended - BI-RADs 4. Is it better to see a breast surgeon or have interventional radiologist do it. Any downsides to doing FNA? Thanks

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  • bew66
    bew66 Member Posts: 81
    edited February 2018

    Svet, I'm not an expert on the matter, but I don't think a FNA will work on a solid nodule.  I think you will need a core-needle biopsy.  Seems to me that I read a statement by djmammo that FNA are not sufficient for reliable results.

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  • gb2115
    gb2115 Member Posts: 1,894
    edited February 2018

    I agree...if it's solid they won't get much on a FNA. Not sure why they don't want to just do a core needle biopsy.

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited February 2018

    Svet

    An excisional biopsy for diagnosis by a surgeon will leave a scar. Have the core biopsy done by the radiologist. If it turns out to be benign, it would be better to have had the core first as it leaves no scar.

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  • Svet
    Svet Member Posts: 2
    edited February 2018

    Thank you everyone for your thoughts. Can I ask for core biopsy? Radiologist on the report wrote fine needle biopsy. Or is this the reason to see a breast surgeon

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited February 2018

    Svet

    FNA is fine if it is done properly. It takes less tissue so if they dont perform enough passes with the needle the sample may be "insufficient for diagnosis". My preference is core biopsy but if there is a cytotech from the path department present at the FNA procedure to evaluate the samples as they are obtained, that would be acceptable to me. Can't hurt to ask about having a core instead.

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  • Rachel888
    Rachel888 Member Posts: 53
    edited February 2018

    Hi Svet The first radiologist I saw said she wanted to do a FNA. She said it looked like I had a cyst and wanted to aspirate it for comfort. It didn't make sense to me why I can't just leave it alone if it was a cyst so I went for a second opinion. The second radiologist actually recommended a core needle biopsy because the nodule was pretty solid and wasn't sure why the last radiologist wanted to do a FNA.

    Personally I felt like why waste the extra procedure time trying to aspirate something solid and why not just do the core needle biopsy, which is why I only go to the second radiologist now. Sometimes they follow a FNA with a core needle biopsy.
    I would ask the radiologist why they recommended a FNA over a biopsy.

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