Needle-localized biopsy
Encyclopedia
Needle-localized biopsy is a procedure that uses very thin needles
or guide wires to mark the location of an abnormal area of tissue so it can be surgically sampled. An imaging device such as an ultrasound
probe is used to place the wire in or around the abnormal area. Needle localization is used when the doctor cannot feel the mass of abnormal tissue.
Needle localizations are commonly performed by radiologists before excisional biopsy
of breast
lesions, using one of a number of commercially available needle and wire systems such as the Kopans
wire.
A similar process is used by radiologists to localize known malignancies that have previously undergone core biopsy so that the tumor can be definitively removed.
Hypodermic needle
A hypodermic needle is a hollow needle commonly used with a syringe to inject substances into the body or extract fluids from it...
or guide wires to mark the location of an abnormal area of tissue so it can be surgically sampled. An imaging device such as an ultrasound
Ultrasound
Ultrasound is cyclic sound pressure with a frequency greater than the upper limit of human hearing. Ultrasound is thus not separated from "normal" sound based on differences in physical properties, only the fact that humans cannot hear it. Although this limit varies from person to person, it is...
probe is used to place the wire in or around the abnormal area. Needle localization is used when the doctor cannot feel the mass of abnormal tissue.
Needle localizations are commonly performed by radiologists before excisional biopsy
Biopsy
A biopsy is a medical test involving sampling of cells or tissues for examination. It is the medical removal of tissue from a living subject to determine the presence or extent of a disease. The tissue is generally examined under a microscope by a pathologist, and can also be analyzed chemically...
of breast
Breast
The breast is the upper ventral region of the torso of a primate, in left and right sides, which in a female contains the mammary gland that secretes milk used to feed infants.Both men and women develop breasts from the same embryological tissues...
lesions, using one of a number of commercially available needle and wire systems such as the Kopans
Daniel Kopans
Daniel B. Kopans, MD, FACR is a radiologist specializing in mammography and other forms of breast imaging.Dr. Daniel Kopans is a leading experts in breast cancer detection and diagnosis. He is the founder of the Breast Imaging Division in the Department of Radiology at the Massachusetts General...
wire.
A similar process is used by radiologists to localize known malignancies that have previously undergone core biopsy so that the tumor can be definitively removed.
External links
- Needle-localized biopsy entry in the public domain NCI Dictionary of Cancer Terms