SMIL offers a stereotactic breast biopsy exam to remove very small amounts of tissue from a suspicious area in the breasts. Lumps or abnormalities in the breasts are often detected by, mammography or other imaging studies. However, it is not always possible to tell from these imaging tests whether a growth is benign (harmless) or cancerous.

A stereotactic breast biopsy is performed to remove some tissue cells from a suspicious area in the breast and then have a pathologist examine them under a microscope to determine a diagnosis. A stereotactic breast biopsy is not designed to remove the entire lesion (abnormality).

SMIL performs stereotactic breast biopsy exams in the Scottsdale, Arizona region. The breast exam is minimally invasive and allows SMIL’s radiologists to help diagnose abnormalities in the breasts.

A stereotactic breast biopsy is performed when a mammogram shows a breast abnormality such as:

• A suspicious solid mass
• Microcalcifications, a tiny cluster of small calcium deposits
• A distortion in the structure of the breast tissue
• An area of abnormal tissue change
• A new mass or area of calcium deposits present at a previous surgery site.

Learn more about how to prepare for a stereotactic breast biopsy exam in the preparations for a stereotactic breast biopsy exam section.

Find out if a stereotactic breast biopsy is right for you in the benefits and risks of a stereotactic breast biopsy exam section.

For a downloadable/printable PDF about this exam with preparation instructions click here.