To confirm a suspected breast malignancy after imaging suggests a lesion, which procedure is commonly used?

• A. Mammography
• B. Ultrasound-guided biopsy
• C. Needle aspiration biopsy
• D. MRI

Answer: (C)

When a lesion is suspected on imaging, tissue confirmation is needed to diagnose cancer. A fine-needle aspiration biopsy is commonly used because it is minimally invasive and can be performed quickly to obtain cells from the lesion for cytologic examination. The pathologist looks for malignant cells to confirm cancer. If the sample is inconclusive or if more tissue is needed to assess architecture and receptor status, a larger core needle biopsy or surgical biopsy may be pursued afterward. Imaging helps detect and localize the lesion, but it does not provide a definitive diagnosis by itself; guiding the needle with ultrasound (or other imaging) improves accuracy and minimizes complications during the biopsy.