You are here:
- Home
- Health/Fitness
- Women's Health
- Breast Cancer
- mammo and ultrasound
Breast Cancer/mammo and ultrasound
Advertisement
Question
Hi, I am 43 yrs. old. I detected small lump in breast at 4 o'clock position in right breast about a year and a half ago.
I had diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. Mammo did not detect any abnormality but report stated "extremely dense breast tissue". The US showed 6mm hypoechoic mass. Bi-rads 3 w/6 monts follow up. I am now on my 3rd follow-up. Mammo keeps detecting nothing, but US shows hypoechoic mass, again recommending another follow-up. I'm getting frustrated, if it hasn't shown any abnormalities in 3 mammos and no definite characteristics of cancer on US, why should I keep having to go for follow-ups? Should I consider biopsy, or let it go and forget it? Also, is it common for mammograms to keep coming back negative while the ultrasound is picking up something?
thanks, mal
If you have VERY dense breast tissues there is not much a mammography can pick up since most lesions will be hidden by your dense normal tissues (like looking through a dense fog). Such breasts should therefore be examined with a combination of mammography, ultrasound breast scans and MRI breast scans. In your case I can not understand why the matter has not been decided by an ultrasound guided needle biopsy! That way you would KNOW what this is and you could probably go beck to your yearly check ups!
- Add to this Answer
- Ask a Question
| Rating(1-10) | Knowledgeability = 10 | Clarity of Response = 10 | Politeness = 10 |
| Comment | Super-fast response! Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it! | ||
Related Articles
- Breast Ultrasound - Breast Ultrasound Imaging for Breast Abnormalities
- Ultrasounds or Mammograms - Breast Cancer Screening - Ultrasounds or Mammograms
- Traditional Mammography - Living with Breast Cancer
- Breast Cancer - Mammogram Views for Breast Screening
- Mammogram Definition - What is a Mammogram - Mammogram Breast Test
Answers by Expert:
Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D.
Expertise
I`m a doctor of medicine and a specialist in radiation therapy and medical oncology. I have long experience in diagnostics and treatment of breast tumours.
Experience
I'm a Doctor of Medicine and specialist in Medical Oncology and Radiation Therapy educated & trained in Sweden. Now retired. Background in Radiation Therapy, Medical Oncology, Radiation Protection, Nuclear Medicine, Diagnostic Radiology, Gynecological Oncology, Clinical Pathology, Clinical Cytology,Hematology and Internal Medicine. M.D. from the faculty of medicine, Royal Karolinska Institute, Stockholm, Sweden. Have also been an exchange student at the Hebrew University, Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem Israel. Former medical consultant, Swedish National Board of Radiation Protection. Former Police Surgeon and Medical Examiner, Stockholm Police Department. Former Chief Medical Officer, The Royal Guards, The Royal Horse Guards and the Royal Household Brigade, Royal Swedish Army Medical Corps.You can also reach me on: http://www.lifestylerescue.com/expert/health-fitness-advice/dr-claes-gustaf/128 I have no restrictions on the number of questions there.
I also answer questions about
Oncology (General Cancer),
General History,
Military History,
Brain Tumors,
Colon Cancer
Education/Credentials
I'm a medical doctor and specialist in medical oncology and radiation therapy.
©2012 About.com, a part of The New York Times Company. All rights reserved.