Titanium Marker and Radioactive Seed Implant Before Lumpectomy

Hi Mstein1970:

The titanium clip is inert. It can be visualized by mammography and can be seen in a surgically removed sample, but it cannot provide a detectable physical signpost during surgery.

To locate a non-palpable tumor during the surgical procedure, surgeons use "wire-guided localization" or radioactive seed placement.

Even though I had clips placed during various biopsies, prior to surgical biopsy (essentially a lumpectomy), they used a mammogram to visualize the area of concern, and inserted wires so the wires marked the area to be removed later by the surgeon ("wire-guided localization").

Radioactive seed placement is an alternative to the wire-guided method I had, in which radioactivity from the seed is used to localize a non-palpable tumor. Accurate localization of the tumor is important to achieving clean margins, and hopefully avoiding the need for a further procedure(s) ("re-excision" or "resection") to obtain clean margins. I found this explanation in laymen's terms:

http://www.nebraskamed.com/article/65/radioactive-...

BarredOwl

mstein1970, My experience was similar, but different.

Let me explain: I had the titanium clip placed during the biopsy. Then a few days before surgery I went in and they numbed me and injected a RADIO FREQUENCY marker called a Savi Scout. It was not radioactive.

The way it works is that the day of the surgery, instead of having to do a traditional wire localization where you would go to the radiology dept and they would place a wire into the mass that sticks out of the breast so the surgeon can locate the titanium clip, they will use this wand that will pick up the radio frequency marker they put in. You avoid having the wire localization that can be stressful and painful.

It worked like a charm for me. If this is similar to what you are having, it is great. I am a breast ultrasound tech and have assisted many wire localizations. You get to avoid that! I love advances in technology. Just verify with your doctor whether it is radioactive or radiofrequency.

Best of luck.