MRI guided Biopsy - What was your experience like?

Yes, just last May in Rochester Mayo I had the procedure. One tumor was " hyperplasia" and the other two were DCIS and LCIS. For me, I had IBC in the other breast back in 2003 with positive lymph nodes so since I have already done the cancer dance it was with tremendous relief to have this result.

I am personally a big fan of the MRI guided biopsy. I had one a year ago after mamography, ABUS and 2 biopsies, and it turned up an additional tumor in my left breast. This tumor had previously gone completely unseen by the other diagnostic procedures. The MRI guided biopsy was definitely a bit more involved than. conventional biopsy, but very manageable and with an important discovery that had previously gone unseen. It helped me with the decision to go for mastectomy rather than lumpectomy - I wanted to be free of this invader, and was ready to take whatever measures to insure the best outcome. It's VERY important to mention that my cancer was lobular, not ductal. (I didn't find this out until the post surgical pathology report.) Lobular cancer is harder to detect, but has a higher level of recurrence, especially if left untreated. It's my understanding that radiation, surgery and hormonal follow up treatment is the standard of care of lobular cancer, as opposed to chemotherapy, lumpectomy followed b y hormonal care. This is a sneaky beast, but I'm up for the fight. Cancer treatment is absolutely no fun, and life is never quite the same, but the gift is ....... we get to live. I'll put up with any temporary fear, pain or inconvenience to maintain the advantage in the fight. I love having another day, after another day, after another day...........and I plan on having many more! I'm grateful we live in a time when these diagnostics and treatments are available to give us our lives back!

My doctor has told me I can have an MRI guided biopsy as an option for peace of mind to confirm additional small areas of cancer in my left breast. I have already had an ultrasound biopsy on one area that was found during an ultrasound. I was going to have a lumpectomy but then the doctor wanted me to do a Breast MRI. So, I then had a Breast MRI and more areas have shown up just in the left breast. They are so small you could not see them on an ultrasound or mammogram. I am wondering if anyone has had the experience that resulted in benign lesions after the MRI guided biopsy. I guess I am hoping for the best. I don't want to cause further complications as it sounds like the guided biopsy can be rough on some patients. Any thoughts?

Hematomas are interesting> After my final surgery in Dec of 2022, I noticed the bubbling at the stitching on my left breast. Day 2 it was more. I took a picture and sent it to my doctor trough the portal. On the 7th day which was my day post op to visit my surgeon and plastics doctor., it had gotten bigger. I must add the skin bruising was crazy blue so all of it was not so pretty. By this time, the hematoma had grown. They had the pictures. My breast surgeon was 1st in the morning and looked and asked questions, she got on the phone and called the plastics dr. I doodled about after she assured me the next dr would take care of me.
I could not figure out what to eat, drank some fluid, had a few chips and got a call from the plastics dr to come earlier. Whoa.I got there and was told my plastics dr was on a plane, but he set up another dr to do the surgery!!!!! At 6:00pm, because i did not have lunch or eat i was cleared for surgery. The dr had to open me up, cleanout that breast and ensure no infection had set in.
After I had more drain tubes, but these were bigger and sturdier then the first ones i had. Easier for me to drain without feeling like i was pulling them out. The dressing where the tube enters the skin did not need changing like the other one did.
All in all, I say if you have pain or something is not right, notify the medical team. I found out later my breast surgeon followed up on the plastics dr to make sure i had the surgery the same day. Not everyone has access to this type of care. That is not right.

I've had a mammo, MRI and US guided. All were painless except for a tiny sting with Lidocaine injection.

@bpknitter53
Your story about ice pack reminds me of my experience. They gave me an ice pack that slipped into bra but biobsy spot was close to center of chest and pack would not stay put. I should of wore a sports bra. I remember walking thru Mayo subway on way back to parking ramp with my hand over breast, kind like I was saying pledge of allegiance.

I had the same issue when an area in the opposite breast that revealed a small suspicious spot. The doctor tried to biopsy it by ultrasound but was not able to locate it. Then I had an MRI guided biopsy and I thought it was actually less painful afterwards than when I had the ultrasound biopsy and that biopsy came back benign and the spot was more than likely a cyst.

Great advice. Ty!

@chitown - I've had both the ultrasound and MRI guided biopsies. After the procedures they provided me with an ice pack - but only one. I purchased ahead a couple bags of frozen peas which I used to alternate for the biopsy spot to help with the slight pain as the spot became unnumbed from the procedure. For me the MRI procedure was less painful - might have been from the technician's skill, the number of spots they tested or because during the ultrasound biopsy they also inserted a marker. This would have made the MRI procedure more precise since they knew exactly where to biopsy. During both procedures they provided a helper that held my hand or just touched me during the procedure which actually helped to calm me. But the procedure itself wasn't very long. Best of luck to you. Just as a precaution if you have to travel a distance for your procedure you might want to have someone go with you to drive you home. I drove myself there and back and stopped for a beverage on my way home just to calm myself as I was driving home. But it would have been nice to have someone with me just for support.

Super helpful! Thank you. I'm a bit anxious about it.