Needle having inflatable position indicator

An apparatus for enabling a user to determine, through a preselected imaging technique, whether a pointed distal end of a guide needle is positioned adjacent to and in alignment with a lesion or tumor in soft tissue such as a breast, prior to taking a biopsy of said lesion or tumor, comprising:

• a guide needle having a proximal end and a pointed distal end;
• said guide needle having a bore of sufficient diameter adapted to accommodate a biopsy tool within said bore;
• an inflatable balloon means secured to said guide needle adjacent said pointed distal end;
• said balloon means having a deflated configuration where it lies snugly against an exterior surface of said guide needle so that it does not interfere with insertion of said guide needle into soft tissue;
• inflation means connected to said guide needle at said proximal end thereof for selectively inflating said balloon means;
• said balloon means when inflated containing a preselected liquid fluid that is visible under a preselected imaging technique when said balloon means is in its inflated configuration;
• said balloon means when inflated serving as an anchoring means that prevents migration of the guide needle after the guide needle has been properly positioned relative to the lesion or tumor;
• and
• said balloon means when inflated facilitating visual observation of said pointed distal end of said guide needle under said preselected imaging technique so that it can be determined whether said pointed distal end is adjacent to and in alignment with said tumor or lesion;
• said biopsy tool being inserted through said bore of said guide needle after said pointed distal end of said guide needle is determined by said visual observation to be adjacent to and in alignment with said lesion or tumor.