The breast is compressed between two paddles. Using the ABBI biopsy device, the surgeon gently inserts a cannula into the breast to remove the entire specimen. The small opening is then closed with a few stitches and a bandage. If the specimen proves to be cancerous, and the pathologist reports the entire margin of tissue surrounding the specimen to be clean, it is then up to the surgeon to decide whether further surgery is needed. Miraluma - High Tech Breast Diagnosis Sometimes mammograms are difficult for the physician to interpret because of specific characteristics of breast tissue.
Some breast tissue is dense, making it harder for radiologists to interpret a mammogram.
Breast surgery may leave scars that look similar to cancerous lesions on a mammogram or radiation therapy can thicken or change breast tissue, making mammograms more difficult to interpret. Although noncancerous themselves, calcium deposits may appear in normal breast tissue, but also may be associated with cancer. It is sometimes difficult for the radiologist to tell the difference between cancerous and benign patterns of calcifications. Breast implants can physically mask the presence of a cancer and can reduce the ability of a mammogram to detect it. Because of these characteristics, the primary physician may need to take a further step to make a determination about a breast lesion.