MRI guided Biopsy - What was your experience like?

Posted by katrina123 @katrina123, Oct 30, 2023

I had an MRI 2 1/2 weeks ago and they saw a 1 cm mass that was a Birads 4 suspicious for malignancy, so my oncologist had me go in today for an ultrasound biopsy, but they were unable to positively locate the mass. Now I have to go in for an MRI guided biopsy and I wondered what kind of experiences others have had with this procedure.
I am very upset because in Jan it will be 4 years since I had a lumpectomy with 4 weeks of radiation. This mass is in the other breast.
Also, my husband has been diagnosed with Alzheimer's so he can't drive. Not sure what I am going to do.

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jportell1957 | @jportell1957 | Oct 31, 2023

Katrina,
My MRI guided biopsy was 6 weeks ago. I was face down with a plastic rack under my chest. It’s not too uncomfortable but I had two areas on the same side and for one they used the needle to extract the sample and the other they used a scooop-like probe to remove a tissue sample. The lidocaine helps numb the area but the scoop procedure was a bit painful for a short while. I had quite a lot of bleeding and ended up with a huge hematoma and my lumpectomy was delayed for a few days in order for it to heal more.
The position you are in during the procedure makes it difficult for the radiologist to get to to perform the biopsy. I hope you have a painless biopsy.