Breast cyst aspiration

Fine needle aspiration for a breast cyst

Almost 7% of all women end up with a breast cyst at least once during their lifetime. Breast cyst is nothing dangerous in most cases and in most cases it does not require any kind of treatment. Cyst is a lump inside of a breast, round in shape and filled with fluid. A simple ultrasound will show if there are any cysts in the breast or not. A woman can have one or several cysts at the same time. There are other types of breast lumps that may appear in the breast and the best way to determine whether the mass is a cyst and not something else, a woman should undergo a fine needle aspiration treatment. Using a tiny needle, the doctor will draw the fluid from the lump and have it further tested.

This procedure is also known as breast cyst aspiration, fine needle aspirate of breast, breast FNA, FNAB and fine needle aspiration biopsy.

Reasons to have fine needle aspiration biopsy

Even though in most cases it is not dangerous at all, a woman should get every breast lump checked out. Some women fear the fine needle aspiration but there is no need for that and it is the best way to determine the nature of the lump. In case it is a cyst, it will be drained out. This way a woman will feel no more pain and discomfort. Just a small number of cysts are malignant but in most cases they are benign. This is why the fluid is sent to the laboratory for further testing.

What to expect during a fine needle aspiration biopsy

During the procedure, the patient will be wide awake but she can ask for a local anesthetic. Before the needle goes through the skin, that area will be cleaned in order for the infection not to occur. Once the lump is pierced with a needle, the doctor will use a syringe to draw out the fluid. Once the fluid is gone, the needle is removed and a bandage is placed on the area to cover the site.

Getting results from the aspiration

In most cases there is no need to send the fluid for further testing. However, if the color of the fluid is bloody, brown, yellow-green or white, then it is important to further test it. Women should also know that a fine needle aspiration is 85% accurate in telling whether the lump is a cyst or a solid breast mass.