HOUSTON – As many as 1.6 million breast biopsies are done in the United States every year. As doctors try to rule out or diagnose breast cancer, a new system now allows radiologists to more precisely target suspicious areas during a 20-minute outpatient procedure.
Lisa Smith, 50, eats right and lives a healthy lifestyle every day. It's one way she's getting her life back on track as she wraps up her breast cancer treatment.
"Feeling much stronger. My food tastes normal again. My energy is back," Smith said.
Smith's doctors diagnosed her cancer at an early stage using the Affirm 3-D biopsy system.
"Before the Affirm system came along, there wasn't a great way to biopsy abnormalities that we could only see on the 3-D mammogram," breast imaging specialist Dr. Debbie Bennett said.
Patients are lying face down with their breast exposed through an opening. Technicians work underneath.
"If a patient is lying on their back, their breast is actually going to be very flat. What we need is to be able to spread the tissue apart so we can precisely pinpoint one area of the breast," Bennett said.
A computerized unit under the table help doctors accurately direct the biopsy needle. A tiny hole in the tip allows them to remove a tissue sample about the size of a grain of rice.
Although Smith's biopsy showed she was positive, she was glad the testing process was precise.
"It's very targeted. Done in real time. No digging around. No guessing," Smith said.
Smith's first grandchild was born the day before she started chemo. She's thankful for a diagnosis and treatment that will keep her around for the people she loves.