My Abnormal MRI + Breast Needle Biopsy
- NicoleDeRosa
- Oct 17, 2025
- 6 min read
Updated: Mar 14
When the Word “Abnormality” Jumps Off the Page:
My Breast MRI + Needle Biopsy Experience
At the beginning of 2023, I was doing what many of us try to do every January, checking off all of my routine health appointments. First up: my annual mammogram.
Like many women, I have dense breast tissue. Add to that the fact that my Mama Joy had carcinoma in situ + underwent lumpectomies on both breasts, twenty years apart + my aunt recently went through the same thing.
Because of that family history, my doctor, my wonderful breast surgeon, Dr. Harriet, keeps a very close eye on things.
My mammogram + ultrasound didn’t show anything suspicious. Still, due to my dense breast tissue + family history, Dr. Harriet recommended a follow-up breast MRI just to be safe. I qualified for the additional screening, so we scheduled it for January 20, 2023. That MRI revealed something unexpected. An abnormality.
When Medical Reports Feel Personal
When I opened my MRI report + read the word ABNORMALITY, it practically lifted off the page. In my mind it became three-dimensional, hovering above the paper, slowly moving closer to my face + getting bigger as it approached my eyeline.
If you’ve ever read your own medical report, you probably know the exact feeling.
The only way to know whether something like that is benign or cancer is to sample the tissue or surgically remove it + have it analyzed by pathology. Shortly after reviewing the MRI, Dr. Harriet called me. She calmly explained my two options:
Repeat the MRI in 6 months
Or go ahead + perform a needle biopsy
Without hesitation, I said: “Let’s do the needle biopsy.” I actually surprised myself with how quickly the answer came out of my mouth. But honestly, it didn’t feel like a difficult decision. Why would I wait 6 months wondering? Let’s just get this sh*t done. Of course, after I hung up the phone, reality hit + my brain began its usual “panic processing.”
Advice From Someone Who’s Been There
Thankfully, Mama Joy stepped in with exactly the reassurance I needed. She had undergone needle biopsies twice herself + told me the most important thing: they numb the breast, so you really don’t feel much during the procedure. Hearing that from someone who had actually gone through it made a huge difference. If she could do it, I could do it too. I also did something extremely out of character for me. I did not Google the procedure. Anyone who knows me knows that I usually research the absolute sh*t out of everything (thanks, clinical OCD). But this time, I intentionally avoided the internet rabbit holes. No medical forums. No scary stories. No late-night research spirals. Honestly, it was one of the best decisions I made.
Biopsy Day
On Monday, February 6th, I went in for an MRI-guided breast needle biopsy on my right breast. I hadn’t slept at all the night before and woke up with a pounding migraine. Ironically, the headache was so intense that it actually helped quiet the intrusive thoughts about the procedure. I was basically operating on autopilot.
We arrived at the hospital, checked in, dealt with insurance + paperwork + before long I was lying face down on a padded MRI table. My incredible nurses, Jenny + Josephine, helped position me so my breast fit into a hollow opening in the table. During this type of biopsy, your breast is gently compressed while the MRI helps guide the radiologist to the exact location that needs to be sampled. I also received intravenous contrast through a vein so the imaging would be clearer.
Before the procedure began, Nurse Jenny asked what music I’d like to listen to. Instead of relaxing spa music, I said: “How about some dance or pop?” Soon enough, Britney Spears was playing.
My Inner Monologue Inside an MRI Machine
While the music played, my brain was having its own little commentary session:
Why does this MRI machine have to beep so fcking loud?*
It’s drowning out Britney, who is actually calming me down right now.
Who designed this thing?
Isn’t there an engineer somewhere who could make these machines less terrifying with all these alarms?
Meanwhile, the technicians kept repeating the most important instruction:
“Nicole, do not move. Not even a millimeter. Otherwise we’ll have to start over.”
No pressure.
Then, almost perfectly timed, Taylor Swift’s “Shake It Off” started playing faintly in the background. So naturally… I sang along.
My sincerest apologies to the entire radiology department for my vocal performance that day.
The Procedure
Once the radiologist numbed my breast with local anesthesia, the rest of the procedure was surprisingly manageable. A tiny incision, less than a quarter inch was made so a core needle could be inserted. Several small tissue samples were taken + sent to the lab for analysis. The actual sampling only takes a few minutes.
By that point, I was so exhausted from not sleeping that I honestly tried to take a little nap.
Then suddenly, it was over. I remember saying out loud:
“Wait… what? It’s done?! I was so scared this was going to be painful, but honestly, my migraine hurt more than the needle.”
The total time on the MRI table was about 30–45 minutes. Before I knew it, I was getting dressed + heading upstairs for a post-biopsy mammogram. During the biopsy, the doctor also placed a tiny titanium marker clip in my breast. This is standard practice, it marks the exact location of the biopsy site so doctors can easily find it on future imaging.
The Waiting Game
The hardest part came afterward. Waiting for the results. Those in-between days were the worst because my mind had way too much time to wander. To distract myself, Mama Joy + I binge-watched five seasons of Alias on Disney+. It turned out to be the perfect escape.
Thankfully, the wait wasn’t long. About a day + a half later, Dr. Harriet called.
The Call
I could hear the smile in her voice immediately.
“I have some glorious, spectacular, amazing, incredible news for you, Nicole,” she said. “It’s not cancer.”
The final pathology report showed that the abnormality was a fibroadenoma, a benign breast tumor. Just like that, the giant floating word ABNORMALITY that had been haunting me for weeks disappeared. And I could finally breathe again.
If You’re Facing a Breast Biopsy
If you’re reading this because you’re about to go through a breast biopsy yourself, I want you to know a few things:
First, the procedure itself is far less scary than our minds make it out to be.
Second, the waiting is often the hardest part.
And third, you are stronger than you think you are.
If you need a coping strategy, I highly recommend:
supportive family (Mama Joy level support if possible)
binge-watching spy shows
and a radiology playlist that includes Britney Spears + Taylor Swift.
It worked for me.
What is a
FIBROADENOMA?
A fibroadenoma (fy-broe-ad-uh-NO-muh) is a solid breast lump. This breast lump is not cancer. A fibroadenoma happens most often between ages 15 - 35. But it can be found at any age in anyone who menstruates. A fibroadenoma often causes no pain. Reproductive hormones may cause fibroadenomas.
A fibroadenoma feels like a firm, smooth, or rubbery lump in the breast with a well-defined shape. It's painless + moves easily when touched. However, I never even felt anything there. It was the Breast MRI that picked it up. Although healthy breast tissue often feels lumpy, a new lump or change in the breasts should be looked at by a doctor. Treatment may include monitoring for changes in the size or feel, a biopsy to evaluate it or surgery to remove it.
If you are curious to see what a MRI-guided breast needle biopsy entails, you can watch the video below:
A few days
LATER...
It’s been about four days since my needle biopsy + honestly? It wasn’t bad at all. And that’s coming from me, someone who’s never had any surgeries or procedures like this before (knock on wood!). I’ve been keeping an ice pack on the site for 30 minutes on + off for the first couple of days + tomorrow I’ll finally take off the bandage + shower. I’ll return in May for a four-month follow-up mammogram + ultrasound so Dr. Harriet can keep a close eye on the area. That tiny titanium marker or clip placed at the biopsy site really comes in handy for this kind of monitoring.
I wanted to share my experience because I know how scary it can feel to get a letter saying “abnormal” after a mammogram, MRI, or ultrasound. Don’t panic + please don’t put off your routine appointments. The sooner things are found, the better + usually, the more treatable they are.
I also recently watched a video by Ashley Nikasia about her own experience. My situation was a little different, my fibroadenoma was found on the MRI + I never felt a lump or pain like Ashley did, but her story is so valuable + I wanted to share it here too. Thank you, Ashley, for being so open about your journey!
Don’t put off your health checkups, stay proactive! For me, it’s way more stressful to wait than to just get it done + check it off the list. I don’t like giving my mind extra time to spiral into worst-case scenarios + you shouldn’t either. Getting it done means peace of mind + peace of mind is always worth it.
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