After you have a breast biopsy, the sample will be examined under a microscope by a pathologist. The pathologist will then send a report of the results to your doctor. The information in this report will be used to help manage your care. The questions and answers below will help you understand the medical terms you may see in a breast biopsy pathology report, such as a fine needle biopsy or an open biopsy. In a fine needle biopsy, a needle is used to take a sample of the abnormal area. An open biopsy removes the entire abnormal area and often some normal tissue around it. An open biopsy is similar to a type of breast-conserving surgery called a lumpectomy.