Diagnostic Mammography

What is diagnostic mammography? A diagnostic mammogram is an X-ray examination of the breasts. This is performed when a person, their doctor or another health professional discovers unusual signs or symptoms in one or both breasts, i.e. a lump, tenderness, nipple discharge or skin changes. The mammogram confirms whether the changes are benign (non cancerous)... View Article

Screening Mammography

What is a screening mammography? Screening mammography is a low-dose X-ray examination of a woman’s breasts used to detect breast cancer when that cancer is too small to be felt as a lump. Screening mammography is carried out on women who do not have any symptoms of breast disease. The aim of screening mammography is... View Article

Breast Core Biopsy

What is a breast core biopsy? A breast core biopsy is where a special needle (or probe) is inserted into the breast to take a small sample of breast tissue from an area of concern so that it can be sent to a laboratory for testing. It is done using local anaesthetic to numb the... View Article

Breast Fine Needle Aspiration (FNA)

What is a breast fine needle aspiration? A breast fine needle aspiration (FNA) is a quick and simple procedure to perform, which removes some fluid or cells from a breast lesion or cyst (a lump, sore or swelling) with a fine needle similar to a blood sample needle. The sample of fluid or cells is... View Article

Breast Hookwire Localisation

What is a breast hookwire localisation? Many tests have been developed to find breast cancer early. Tests, such as mammography, ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can show abnormalities in the breast that cannot be felt by a woman or her doctor. If an abnormality that cannot be easily felt needs to be surgically removed,... View Article

Vacuum-Assisted Core Biopsy

What is a vacuum-assisted core biopsy? Vacuum-assisted core biopsy is a safe and minimally invasive procedure in which a sample of breast tissue is removed for examination. When breast imaging shows up very small abnormalities too small to be felt (i.e. anything unusual in the structure of the breast), Vacuum-assisted core biopsy is used to... View Article