Biopsy Procedures: Wire/Radar Localization
What is radar localization?
Radar localization is a newer procedure for locating abnormal tissue. It is becoming more popular than wire localization, as radar localization with tools such as the Savi Scout has made the process easier for the patient and the physician. This procedure involves inserting a small reflector into the abnormal tissue before surgery. During the tissue removal surgery, the physician activates the Savi Scout reflector, allowing them to determine the specific location of the tumor for removal.
What is wire localization?
This procedure involves the physician placing a wire into the breast where the suspected cancerous tissue is before surgical removal. The physician guides the wire using mammography or ultrasound imaging techniques to locate the specific suspicious area within the breast. During surgery, the physician finds the wire to locate the specific area that is to be surgically removed to test for cancerous cells within the biopsied tissue.
The video below provides an overview of the Savi Scout radar localization procedure:
The video below provides an overview of the wire localization procedure:
Wire Localization - Breast Cancer Removal Procedure | Seattle Cancer Care Alliance
Sources:
Fred Hutch Patient Care. (2015, Oct. 21). Wire Localization - Breast Cancer Removal Procedure | Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FpTl5b-gT8w
Orlando Health. (2020, Dec. 31). Danielle Henry, MD Savi Scout. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6T8XwwpT0jM
Penn Medicine. (n.d.). SAVI SCOUT®: Cutting-Edge Technology for Breast-Conserving Surgery. PennMedicine. https://www.pennmedicine.org/cancer/types-of-cancer/breast-cancer/breast-cancer-treatment/breast-cancer-surgery/lumpectomy/savi-scout
UCLA Health. (n.d.). Pre-surgical Wire Localization. UCLAHealth. https://www.uclahealth.org/radiology/breast-imaging/pre-surgical-wire-localization