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BREAST HEALTH
> STEREOTACTIC CORE BIOPSY
A stereotactic core biopsy may be
recommended if an area of concern is found on your
mammogram or ultrasound exam. Dr. Bertrand uses this technique to take a biopsy
(or small sample) of an area in your breast that needs further examination. The
sample is then sent to pathology for evaluation.
 How is it different from a
surgical biopsy?
A surgical biopsy is more
invasive and typically requires general anesthesia. A core biopsy can be
performed in our office under local anesthesia. .
How is it done?
Dr. Bertrand will inject a local
anesthetic and make a small incision in your skin. Then she uses ultrasound
guidance or a computer-aided mapping device to locate the area of concern in the
breast. Once it is located, she uses a special needle to remove small samples
of tissue from that area. The tissue samples are then sent to the pathologist
for analysis. Dr. Bertrand pioneered this technique in Greensboro in 1993 and
since then has taught it to 10 general surgeons in the area.
How long will this procedure take?
You should plan to be in our
office for about two hours for this procedure. However, the biopsy itself will
take only about 30 minutes. You will be able to return to work or normal
activities the following day.
Do I need to do anything
special before having this procedure?
Yes. You need to let us know
about any over-the-counter or prescription medications that you take. If you
take daily aspirin or use ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) or Aleve on a regular basis,
we will ask you to discontinue using these medications five days prior to the
procedure. If you take warfarin (brand name Coumadin), we will consult with
your physician about possibly discontinuing this medication. We have you
discontinue these drugs to prevent possible bleeding complications.
When will I get the results?
Usually within two days. We will
schedule an appointment for you to receive your results when your pathology
results are available.
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Mammogram
