Procedures to evaluate a breast lump

Imaging tests

To further evaluate a breast lump, your doctor might recommend a:

• Diagnostic mammogram. This specialized breast X-ray helps your doctor investigate suspicious breast changes. It takes X-ray pictures from several angles.
• Breast ultrasound. Sound waves create images of the inside of your breast on a monitor. Ultrasound imaging is helpful for determining whether a breast lump is solid or filled with fluid.
• Breast MRI. An MRI machine uses a magnet and radio waves to create pictures of the interior of your breast. A breast MRI usually is reserved for when the diagnosis is in question. Before a breast MRI, a dye might be injected through an intravenous (IV) line in your arm to enhance the appearance of tissues or blood vessels on the MRI pictures.

Breast biopsy

You might have a tissue sample removed and examined under a microscope (biopsy). Ultrasound or mammography might help guide the needle, and a local anesthetic might be used. Breast biopsy options include:

• Fine-needle aspiration biopsy. With a thin needle attached to a syringe, cells and fluid are removed from the suspicious area.
• Core needle biopsy. A larger needle with a special tip is used to remove a sample of breast tissue.
• Stereotactic biopsy. Mammography produces images of the area in question from several different angles (stereo images). Your doctor then removes a sample of breast tissue with a needle.
• Vacuum-assisted biopsy. A probe connected to a vacuum device removes a small sample of breast tissue.
• Surgical biopsy. A small cut is made in the skin and breast tissue to remove part or all of a lump.

After a biopsy, the tissue sample is sent to a lab for analysis. Your doctor will let you know when to expect the test results and will discuss them with you when they're available.