core biopsy (breast)
Last reviewed 01/2018
Core biopsy of a breast lump requires infiltration of the skin with local anaesthetic. It can be carried out in the out-patient setting. A "Trucut" or "Biopty" needle is used to obtain several cores of breast tissue which are fixed in formalin and sent for histology.
It is a relatively traumatic procedure but has the advantages of providing a histological specimen detailing architectural arrangement of cells as opposed to just cells. As such, it gives better evidence for lobular carcinoma and invasion through the basement membrane of in situ carcinoma.
If core biopsy has failed to differentiate a mass as malignant, open biopsy may be required.