Ultrasound-guided Fine Needle Aspiration

Ultrasound-guided fine needle aspiration is a diagnostic procedure that inserts a very small needle into a suspicious mass in order to extract some of the cells for diagnosis.

• The patient is placed on a cushioned table, slightly turned to one side with a foam cushion to support her back.
• The radiologist injects a local anesthetic, and uses ultrasound guidance to gently place the smalle needle into the breast and remove cells from the mass.
• If the mass is fluid, the needle will remove it all. If it's solid, the radiologist will remove a small core of tissue for biopsy.
• Pressure and an ice pack are applied to the needle insertion site, along wtih a small bandage.
• No stiches are required.