It uses a disposable probe that is inserted into the breast along the stereotactic coordinates and a vacuum line pulls tissue into a sampling chamber. A coaxial cutter cuts a sample away from the breast and it is stored in the lumen of the cutter. The cutter is then pulled back to the specimen retrieval chamber where the specimen is removed. This cycle is repeated after rotation of the probe. The patient experiences only minor discomfort during the procedure, and there is little scarring afterwards.
Stereotactic biopsy costs much less than what is charged for a surgical biopsy.
This type of in-office biopsy of suspicious lesions could eventually replace 95 percent of needle directed open biopsies. It is not only less invasive for the patient, but with the increasing number of mammographic abnormalities requiring diagnosis, the cost savings to the health care system will be enormous. Also, because about 70 percent of biopsied lesions end up being benign and using the new equipment removes very little tissue, much less normal breast tissue is lost. As the public becomes more aware of this procedure, every patient needing biopsy of a suspicious breast lesion should have the option of having stereotactic biopsy whenever appropriate. If you have any questions about these procedures do not hesitate to call Dr. Hertz.