Image-Guided Breast Biopsies

If a mammogram or other imaging method shows an abnormal area in your breast, an image-guided breast biopsy may be recommended to determine if cancer is present. During a biopsy, a specialized needle removes a sample of cells or tissue from your breast. The sample is then examined under a microscope by a pathologist. Local anesthesia is used to make you as comfortable as possible during the procedure

Fletcher Allen’s breast imaging specialists have advanced expertise in image-guided needle biopsy, offering patients the latest treatments and techniques. Our services include:

Ultrasound-guided Breast Biopsy

This test uses sound waves to create images of the breast during an image-guided biopsy. It enables your doctor to see the needle on a screen and guide it toward and into the mass. Fletcher Allen is proud to be nationally accredited in ultrasound-guided breast biopsies by the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine and the American College of Radiology. This means our services meet nationally recognized standards of clinical excellence in breast ultrasound. 

Stereotactic Breast Biopsy

This procedure uses mammography technology and stereotactic imaging – a process that uses computer coordinates to map the exact location of a breast abnormality – to guide the needle during an image-guided biopsy.

MRI-guided Biopsy

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is also used to guide the needle during an image-guided breast biopsy. This method is most useful when an MRI shows an abnormality not identified by mammography or ultrasound.