Fine Needle Technique
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Once a breast lump or breast abnormality has been detected, Doctor may want to conduct a breast biopsy. It is a procedure that involves taking sample tissue from the doubtful area to determine whether the breast lump is cancerous. There are several kinds of breast biopsy techniques, and each one has advantages and disadvantages. One of the techniques is Fine-needle aspiration. It is a thin needle inserted through the skin and into the lump. Cells will be drawn into the needle, and given to a pathologist to look at under a microscope. This might also be done to determine if the lump is solid or liquid (a cyst). If the lump is a cyst, after the fluid has been removed, the cyst will collapse and disappear. If there is no fluid, and the tissue in the lump is too hard to draw into the needle, then you may need a different type of biopsy, in order to get the best results.