Breast Screening & Diagnosis

If the area of concern on a mammogram cannot be felt, the surgeon will need help finding it. After numbing the skin, the radiologist inserts a thin, hollow needle into your breast. The radiologist takes X-rays to confirm the location of the needle. Then, we insert a wire through the needle, tape the wire into place and remove the hollow needle.

Your care team transports you to the operating room. There, the surgeon uses the wire to locate the area we need to remove. The needle localization portion of the biopsy procedure takes about 90 minutes. Total length of stay depends on the length of the biopsy procedure and your recovery time.

• Bring a list of your known allergies.
• Bring a list of your medications, including frequency and dosage.
• If you take products that can increase your risk of bleeding, please notify the nurses in the Breast Health Center by calling 978-304-8112 at least three days before your procedure. This includes a variety of products:
  • Aspirin
  • Coumadin
  • Feverfew
  • Fish oil
  • Flaxseed
  • Garlic
  • Ginger
  • Gingko biloba
  • Glucosamine chondroitin
  • Ibuprofen
  • Licorice
  • Motrin
  • Naprosyn
  • Plavix
  • St. John's wort
  • Vitamin E
  • Zinc
• Leave jewelry and valuables at home.
• Take your usual medications, unless your doctor advises otherwise.
• This procedure requires fasting. Do not eat or drink anything for 8 hours prior to your procedure.
• You may shower but do not use deodorants, lotion, powder or perfume.