Breast ultrasound

Breast ultrasound

Ultrasound, also known as sonography, uses sound waves to outline a part of the body.
For this test, a small, microphone-like instrument called a transducer is placed on the skin
(which is often first lubricated with ultrasound gel). It emits sound waves and picks up
the echoes as they bounce off body tissues. The echoes are converted by a computer into
a black and white image that is displayed on a computer screen. This test is painless and
does not expose you to radiation.
Ultrasound has become a valuable tool to use along with mammography because it is
widely available and less expensive than other options, such as MRI. The use of
ultrasound instead of mammograms for breast cancer screening is not recommended.
Usually, breast ultrasound is used to target a specific area of concern found on the
mammogram. Ultrasound helps distinguish between cysts (fluid-filled sacs) and solid
masses and sometimes can help tell the difference between benign and cancerous tumors.
Ultrasound may be most helpful in women with very dense breasts. Clinical trials are
now looking at the benefits and risks of adding breast ultrasound to screening
mammograms in women with dense breasts and a higher risk of breast cancer.
Ductogram
This test, also called a galactogram, sometimes helps determine the cause of nipple
discharge. In this test a very thin plastic tube is placed into the opening of the duct in the
nipple that the discharge is coming from. A small amount of contrast medium is injected,
which outlines the shape of the duct on an x-ray image and shows if there is a mass inside
the duct.
Newer imaging tests
Newer tests like scintimammography and tomosynthesis are not used commonly and are
still being studied to determine their usefulness. They are described in the section,
"What's new in breast cancer research and treatment?"