What should you know about USG-guided breast biopsy?

USG means ultrasound-guided. The scan helps the clinician locate the area and place the needle accurately, especially when the finding cannot be felt easily.

You usually lie on your back or slightly turned while the breast is examined with ultrasound. The skin is cleaned, local anaesthetic numbs the area, and a small opening allows a biopsy needle to collect samples. A pressure dressing may be applied afterwards. The procedure is different from breast lump excision because it samples tissue rather than removing the whole lump.

The sample goes to a laboratory for analysis. A result may describe whether the tissue is benign, atypical or cancerous, and your clinician will explain what the wording means for you. An ultrasound may also be used to guide assessment before the biopsy.

Tell the clinic about medicines that affect bleeding, allergies, pregnancy or a previous reaction to local anaesthetic. Follow the appointment instructions about washing the skin and eating or drinking. Wear a comfortable bra that can support the dressing. Mild bruising, tenderness or swelling can occur after sampling; a cold pack wrapped in cloth and the advised pain relief may help. Keep the area clean and follow the dressing instructions.

Contact the clinic if bleeding does not settle with firm pressure, or if pain, swelling, warmth, redness or discharge is increasing rather than easing. Seek urgent medical care for heavy bleeding, difficulty breathing, fainting, or rapidly worsening swelling. A new breast change still needs assessment even when a previous finding was benign; a breast lump is a common presentation of breast cancer, but many breast lumps have non-cancerous causes.

Ask which area will be sampled, how the result will be delivered, what activities to avoid afterwards, and what happens if the sample is inconclusive. You can also ask whether the finding needs follow-up imaging or another procedure.