A fine-needle biopsy may be requested by your doctor or upon radiologist recommendation if there is an area within your breast that can be seen on ultrasound and is suspicious for either malignancy or a complex benign condition.
An aspiration involves the removal of fluid, and may be requested or recommended if you have one or more breast cysts that have become enlarged or painful. The aspirated fluid may also be sent for pathology analysis, depending on the circumstances.
A preliminary breast ultrasound is performed to review the area in question and allow appropriate procedural planning by our radiologist. The procedure is performed by our radiologist, with an imaging technician assisting. The radiologist will inject local anaesthetic to numb the skin surface and ensure you are as comfortable as possible. Under ultrasound guidance, a fine-gauge needle is inserted into the area and reverse pressure is applied to aspirate fluid.
Following the procedure, our imaging technician will apply pressure to the insertion site where there may be a small blood spot. A sterile dressing will be applied, and you will be consulted about aftercare.
