Finally had my biopsy, not feeling confident

Momof3inVA

So after waiting for several weeks to get my biopsy for Architectural Distortion, not seen on US only on 3D mammo.....they had a really hard time locating it. This is the second biopsy I have had laying on the table being repositioned numerous times and for 30 min.trying to find the area in question. This is a good thing it's small I know. But the 4 people in the room trying to figure out where it was makes me question if they did biopsy the correct area. Any body else have an experience like this?

Harley07

@Momof3inVA - I’m so sorry you are going thru this. I’m sure others with more knowledge will chime in.

I don’t know if this is acceptable or not but I had the same experience. First biopsy was US guided and the radiologist did not take sufficient tissue to make a diagnosis. Second biopsy was stereotactic and the radiologist (different from from first biopsy) sucked out the clip from the first biopsy and then biopsied the wrong area (2cm from the area seen on imaging). The diagnosis was ADH. Then on to an excisional biopsy with a diagnosis of IDC. So 2 weeks later I had a re-excision lumpectomy to get clear margins and a sentinel node biopsy. This happened during Covid and I think they were short on staff so they were using radiologists who were not experienced in breast biopsies

In hindsight I wish I had gotten a second opinion. Is this an option for you? All the best to you

Momof3inVA

Thanks Harley07. How did they know that the wrong area was biopsied? I guess that I will wait for my results and see if I feel I need a second opinion then.

Harley07

@Momof3 - the radiologist who read the screening and diagnostic mammograms reviewed the mammogram taken after the 2nd biopsy and noted the clip was placed 2cm from the area of concern noted on the diagnostic mammogram. This same radiologist placed the Savi Scout marker prior to the first lumpectomy (excisional biopsy) at my request as he was the only radiologist who seemed to know where the area of concern was. After the first lumpectomy, the breast surgeon confirmed that the clip from the 2nd mammo was in a different place than the savi scout/area of concern. Hope this makes sense.

LivinLife

Welcome Momof3! My first stereotactic biopsy was a nightmare!!! The radiologist could not find the area to biopsy and yet kept digging around. I had to keep getting up off the table for additional mammo's to see if that could help them pinpoint. at one point, after quite some time of all of this, they had me get dressed. The radiologist pulled me back into look at images (honestly!) so he could show me what he was trying to do and expressing his difficulty.... He was going to recommend an excisional biopsy b/c he couldn't get it - he asked me if I was willing to give the stereotactic another go so I undressed again and he went back at it! My neck and ribs were killing me.... I also didn't want to undergo a lumpectomy of any kind for an unknown - this was my first time ever having a callback and recommendation of a biopsy so it was frustrating and scary.... after all of that it was a fibroadenoma..... just another reason I'm so glad I don't have to go through those kinds of things anymore..... it made me dread the next two stereotactics I had after that.....