Spiculated, Hypoechoic, with Family History

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BonneChance4
BonneChance4 Member Posts: 13
edited November 2017 in Waiting for Test Results

Thank you all for this forum! It's already been a god send. There's definitely a history of BC in my family (mother & aunt), but having reached my 60s, I thought I'd dodged the bullet. I'm still disbelieving of the results from the ultrasound I had last week - "spiculated lesion" with a "hypoechoic, irregular-shaped taller than wide focus"; BIRAD 4. It looked like a tiny black spider on the TV screen. As soon as I saw it, I thought to myself, "that's what's going to get me". But after a few minutes, it felt better to say, "Ain't nobody got time for that". Anyway, tomorrow, I'll have a consult with a surgeon, and maybe even a biopsy. I've been researching all night, hoping to discover the best questions to ask the doctor. Right now, the most immediate concern I have is what type of biopsy the doctor is likely to recommend, given this presentation. Also, what risks go along with a biopsy? What if I'm offered a choice between one type of biopsy or another, and don't feel confident in the moment that I know enough to decide?

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  • Icietla
    Icietla Member Posts: 1,265
    edited November 2017

    Hi BonneChance4. I am so sorry you have these concerns.

    A same-day biopsy would be done with local anesthesia. They take specimens by needle from the suspicious area. Besides the possibility of reaction to the anesthetic, the main health risks would be bleeding and infection, same as with any small wound like that.

    Excisional biopsy is done under conditions as with major surgeries -- in a hospital operating room, under general anesthesia. There would be pre-op blood work and pre-op EKG done prior. There would be local anesthetic and colorant injected prior, and a wire guide would be placed in the breast and its placement checked by mammogram prior. The main health risks would be bleeding; infection, including the possibility of hospital-acquired disease; and the serious risks that come with general anesthesia.

    Most of our diagnosed members have had needle biopsies.

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  • BonneChance4
    BonneChance4 Member Posts: 13
    edited November 2017

    Thank you, Icietla, it was so good to have a calm voice helping me understand the procedure before I left the house this morning. I did end up with a needle biopsy, and will probably learn the results by Thursday or Friday. The doctor said that even if the results come back "normal", she will want to do more testing, including an MRI, because the lesion is certainly problematic. Another reason for the MRI may be because my breast density makes it difficult to get a full reading with US or mammogram. Right now, it sounds as if she will be strongly recommending that the lump be removed, no matter what the tests show. It doesn't look good and shouldn't be there.

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