Upstate offers 3-D guided biopsy to increase accuracy, patient comfort

“The 3-D guided biopsy gives us a layered, detailed look at the area,” said Ravi Adhikary, MD, director of Women’s Imaging at Upstate. “If you think of 2-D showing you the cover of a book, then 3-D shows you each page inside the book. This makes lesions that would not have necessarily been visible in 2-D clear, allowing for a more concise and accurate biopsy.”

For the 3-D guided biopsy procedure, the patient is seated in a comfortable chair. After images pinpoint the exact location of the biopsy, a small incision is made and a thin needle is inserted to retrieve tissue samples for analysis. The procedure can be completed in approximately 15 minutes. This is a vast improvement in terms of patient comfort from the conventional biopsy. Conventional biopsy required women to lay flat on their stomachs with their breasts fitted in to openings in the table. This position could be very uncomfortable, particularly for older women and women with back problems. Women must remain in this position for a long period of time because conventional biopsy took approximately 30 minutes to complete.

Learn more about 3-D guided biopsy and mammography by contacting Upstate Women’s Imaging at 315-464-2582, or Wellspring Breast Care Center at 315-492-5007.