3 Types of Image-Guided Breast Biopsies: Ultrasound, Stereotactic & MRI

A suspicious area can be found in your breast in one of two ways. You might feel a lump yourself or we might find a lesion with imaging. From there, you’ll want to get some answers with a biopsy. That’s when a tiny bit of tissue is removed from the lesion and sent to pathologists who can help tell us what it is.

There are 3 routes to go for that biopsy. Most women will have what’s called an ultrasound guided-biopsy, while others might need a stereotactic or MRI-guided biopsy. To help you understand what each of those exams are like, breast care coordinator Abby Meier and breast radiologist Timothy Blackwelder, MD, explain the differences. 

For a more in-depth look at what’s involved in a breast MRI exam, click here.