Your initial consultation will involve a one-on-one discussion of your problem with one of our breast-care surgeons, not a physician assistant or nurse practitioner. During this time, the physician will review all of your pertinent breast imaging, and make recommendations for additional imaging that may be necessary, a plan for evaluation of your problem, or biopsy recommendations and scheduling.
On your first consultation appointment, it is necessary to bring to the office all of your pertinent breast imaging, as the physician needs to review these films personally to make recommendations. Some facilities make arrangements to send the films or a CD to the office prior to your appointment, but each facility is different, so please ensure your films will be available for review. If your films are not available, you may be asked to reschedule your appointment, or the physician may see you, but may not be able to complete his or her assessment until the films are reviewed.
If you have a strong family history of breast, ovarian, uterine, colon, pancreatic, prostate, or kidney cancer, please have as much information available as possible on this initial consultation. A strong family history of breast or other cancers may change screening recommendations, and may qualify patients for genetic counseling for high-risk breast cancer syndromes.
If a breast biopsy is recommended, a patient often has several different options, including a needle biopsy in the office, stereotactic (mammogram-guided) needle biopsy, interventional radiologist US-guided needle biopsy, or surgical excisional biopsy. We will discuss with you your particular biopsy options, and determine which technique is best for your individual case.
After your biopsy procedure is completed, we ask that you contact the office 72-96 business hours later to determine if your pathology is available for review with the physician. You will either be scheduled for an office follow-up, or the results may be discussed with you on the phone, depending upon what you and your physician have discussed previously. Your pathology results will determine the next course of action and it is imperative that you maintain your follow up plan with your physician.
