Needle Localization
When a suspicious lesion is detected on a mammogram, it can often be too small to feel or detect in an examination. In order for the surgeon to remove the correct area of breast tissue that contains the suspicious area, he or she will need a guide to show the exact location of the lesion.
A needle/wire localization involves the use of mammography to ensure the wire is correctly inserted into the suspicious area. The skin of the breast will be anesthetized before the procedure. The wire is inside the needle that is inserted into the breast. The technician inserting the needle will use a patient's mammogram to determine how far and at what angle to insert the needle.
When it has been properly placed, the wire is disengaged and the needle is removed. This means that there is a wire sticking out of the breast, which can look somewhat strange.
A second mammogram is taken to ensure that the needle properly identifies the area to be removed. The surgeon then uses the needle as a guide, and removes the area with a margin of tissue during the surgical biopsy.