Stereotactic Breast Biopsy
Lumps or masses in the breast are not unusual, and most of them are not cancerous. Some breast masses can be felt during a breast exam. Others are detectable only by mammogram breast X-ray. A stereotactic breast biopsy uses mammography to help pinpoint the spot in the breast that needs to be removed, without requiring surgery.
Some of the benefits of a stereotactic breast biopsy include:
- Minimal scarring instead of a large incision.
- Reduced post-procedural pain.
- Immediate return to work following stereotactic breast biopsy.
- Shorter recovery time and immediate resumption of daily activities following stereotactic breast biopsy.
PET/CT
A PET/CT combines the functional information from a Positron Emission Tomography (PET) exam with anatomical information from a Computed Tomography (CT) exam in one single exam.
A PET scan detects changes in cellular function- how cells are utilizing nutrients like sugar and oxygen. Since these functional changes take place before physical changes occur, PET can provide information that enables physicians to make an early diagnosis.
The advantage of CT is its ability to take cross sectional images of the body. These are combined with the information from the PET scan to provide more anatomic details of the metabolic changes in the body.
The PET exam pinpoints metabolic activity in cells and the CT exam provides an anatomical reference. When these two scans are fused together, the physician can view metabolic changes in the proper anatomical context of the body.