A procedure used to guide a surgical breast biopsy when the lump is hard to find or when there is an area that looks suspicious on the x-ray. A thin hallow needle is placed into the breast and xx-rays are taken to guide the needle to the area in question. A fine thin wire is inserted through the center of the needle. A small hook at the end of the wire keeps it in place. The hollow needle is then removed, and the surgeon uses the path of the wire as a guide to locate the abnormal area to be removed.