Breast ultrasound is a non-invasive medical imaging study used to evaluate breast abnormalities, especially in women with dense breasts or large implants. It poses no known risk to the patient and can be used to monitor abnormalities and guide biopsies if necessary. During the test, the patient will need to remove her shirt and bra and lie down on a table while a technician moves a probe through the breast to introduce high-frequency sound waves.
A breast ultrasound is a medical imaging study of the breast that a doctor might order to learn more about a lump or unusual structure or if a mammogram isn’t right for a patient. During an ultrasound, your doctor or a technician will move a probe through the breast to introduce high-frequency sound waves, and the probe will record the waves as they return, generating an image of the inside of the breast. This test is non-invasive and poses no known risk to the patient. It can take around an hour to complete, including all paperwork, a prep interview, and the test itself.
One reason a doctor might request a breast ultrasound is if a patient has extremely dense breasts or large implants that make it difficult to view breast tissue on a mammogram. Although mammography is the standard for early detection of breast abnormalities, it can be difficult to evaluate some women, so ultrasound may be preferable. A doctor may also order an ultrasound if a mammogram or physical exam reveals a lump or abnormality in the breast.
During a breast ultrasound, your doctor can identify any structures in your breast and determine whether they are simply fluid-filled cysts, cancerous growths, or something else entirely. Your doctor may order a follow-up breast ultrasound to monitor the size and development of any breast abnormalities. Doppler ultrasound can also be used to assess the blood supply to the breast or to a specific lesion or growth within the breast.
In the event that a doctor deems a biopsy advisable, one option is to perform an ultrasound-guided procedure. During this procedure, your doctor uses real-time ultrasound images to carefully guide a needle into place to collect a fluid or tissue sample with an aspiration biopsy. This is less invasive than other biopsy options and can be a good start to evaluating a medical problem.
When a doctor requests a breast ultrasound, the patient may want to ask why the procedure is recommended and what might happen next. This information can help a patient prepare and might make the experience less frightening. During the test itself, the patient will need to remove her shirt and bra before lying down on a table and moving her arm up and behind her head to expose the breast tissue. The technician will apply a small layer of conductive gel to make the images clearer and may heat the gel briefly for convenience. During the test, the patient may feel some pressure from the probe, but it shouldn’t be painful.
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