Breast biopsy

Alternative names:

biopsy of the breast

What the risks are:

There is a slight chance of infection at the injection or incision site.

Excessive bleeding is rare, but may require draining or re-bandaging.

Special considerations:

Most breast lumps consist of fatty tissue and lactiferous (milk) ducts. Tumors are usually detected during a manual examination or mammography test. Another indicator of a malignant tumor is nipple discharge.

Update Date: 02/09/00

Updated by: J. Gordon Lambert, MD, Associate Medical Director, Utah Health Informatics and adam.com editorial