When a patient comes to the hospital with a breast tumor or other discomfort, the physician will prescribe tests such as ultrasound, mammogram or magnetic resonance imaging, while infrared testing, which was commonly used during physical examinations in the past, is no longer advocated. For patients over 45 years of age, mammograms may be considered because of their relative sensitivity. Younger patients are mainly based on ultrasound results, but of course ultrasound is also informative for older patients. When ultrasound or mammogram reveals a suspicious lesion, especially for younger patients, we would recommend MRI or direct puncture biopsy, because MRI can further help to clarify the nature of the lesion and its relationship with the chest wall, thus helping the doctor to better localize the lesion, which is even more meaningful for patients who are preparing to undergo breast preservation surgery or preoperative chemotherapy. One may ask, “Why perform a puncture?” For patients with a suspicious lump, the physician needs to clarify the nature of the lump (benign or malignant), and therefore pathologic testing is the standard for diagnosing breast cancer. Moreover, for patients who are clearly suffering from breast cancer, we also need to know the receptor classes and gene expression of the patient’s cells, such as estrogen and progesterone receptors and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2, in order to better guide the early categorization of treatment. These critical tests should be clarified at the first visit, rather than waiting until poor outcomes are realized after treatment has been initiated.