During the clinical breast exam, your doctor may recommend a mammogram or an ultrasound. Eddleman says imaging will reveal whether the breast lump is solid or fluid-filled, and furthermore identify whether the breast lump has benign or possibly malignant characteristics. Depending on the results, your doctor may suggest a biopsy of the area or refer you to a breast specialist.
Despite ongoing debates about the effectiveness of breast self-exams, Dr. Eddleman suggests women conduct an exam every one to two months. Eddleman says. Eddleman recommends women start annual clinical breast exams and mammograms at age Mammograms save lives, he says, and finding a malignancy on a mammogram rather than by touch can help treat cancer sooner, before it spreads. We offer mammography screenings and comprehensive breast services at several locations across the Triangle.
October 5, Breast Cancer , Cancer , Treatment. But before you jump to conclusions, stop and breathe. If a screening mammogram or physical exam finds something unusual, the next step is usually a diagnostic mammogram. This specialized mammogram provides views of the problem area from several angles and at a higher magnification than standard screenings.
Also known as tomosynthesis, 3D mammography creates a three-dimensional image of the breast tissue, enabling the radiologist to examine the breast tissue one layer at a time.
It is especially helpful examining dense breast tissue. For certain women at high risk, a MRI is recommended along with a yearly mammogram. An ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the inside of your breast. These images show whether a breast lump is solid, or fluid-filled. Solid masses are more likely to be cancerous. If a lump is proven to be benign by its appearance on these exams, no further steps may need to be taken. Your doctor may want to monitor the area at future visits to check if the breast lump has changed, grown or gone away.
If these tests do not clearly show that the lump is benign, a biopsy may be necessary. One of the following image-guided procedures may be performed:. Often, the radiologist will place a tiny metal marker approximately the size of one sesame seed in the area where tissue was sampled so that any residual lump will not need additional testing if it is seen on future mammograms. If you need a biopsy, it is important to choose a facility with expertise, preferably one where the radiologists specialize in breast imaging.
One measure of a facility's expertise in breast biopsy can be found in its ACR accreditation status. Check the facilities in your area by searching the ACR-accredited facilities database. If a lump is proven to be cancer, surgery is usually performed. The surgeon will explain appropriate surgical options and provide you with the information necessary to make this decision. You may have several consultations with other physicians for additional treatment, including radiation therapy and chemotherapy or hormone therapy.
One of the following radiation therapy treatments may be used after surgery to ensure any microscopic cancer cells are eliminated:. Please type your comment or suggestion into the text box below.
Note: we are unable to answer specific questions or offer individual medical advice or opinions. Please contact your physician with specific medical questions or for a referral to a radiologist or other physician. To locate a medical imaging or radiation oncology provider in your community, you can search the ACR-accredited facilities database. This website does not provide cost information. The costs for specific medical imaging tests, treatments and procedures may vary by geographic region.
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