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Dealing with breast cancer is an exceptionally challenging experience, both physically and emotionally. Undergoing surgery can be one of the most daunting parts, so imagine if you had to come back for an additional surgery. Unfortunately, this is a reality today for many breast cancer patients, with 1 in 5 who undergo breast conserving surgery requiring a repeat surgery. In the United States alone, this equates to a staggering 75,000 repeat breast surgeries every year.

Breast specimen radiography helps identify lesions in tissue that is collected during breast conserving surgery (BCS, also known as lumpectomy). The goal of the surgery is to remove all of the cancer while at the same time preserving as much healthy tissue as possible. To ensure that no tumor cells have been left behind, the surgical specimen needs to be X-rayed.

To ensure all cancer is removed during a surgery, the standard procedure is for the surgeon to include a border of tissue surrounding and beyond the edges of the visible cancerous tumor. This border of tissue is called the surgical margin or margin of resection, and it needs to be examined microscopically by a pathologist to determine if cancer cells are present.

At some point in their lives, approximately 1 in 8 women will develop some type of breast cancer. As this is the second most common cancer among women in the United States, the need for early detection in the most treatable stages of the disease is paramount. One route for early detection is having a mammogram done at regular intervals.