A small needle is placed into a cyst in the breast using ultrasound as a guide. The fluid from the cyst is withdrawn through the needle. This technique is used primarily for relief of symptoms is a woman has a bothersome breast cyst. It may also be used to verify that a mass in the breast is indeed a cyst, and not a solid mass. Sometimes a cyst with debris inside it can look solid.
For more information on this and other radiology procedures, please visit www.radiologyinfo.org.