Mammography

Home » Mammography » Diagnostic Imaging

Diagnostic Imaging

Diagnostic imaging is required under certain circumstances:

• Breast implants
• Severe fibrocystic disease
• After surgery for early breast cancer that did not remove the entire breast
• Abnormal finding on a screening mammogram (e.g., change in a mass)
• New finding during clinical breast examination (e.g., lump, nipple discharge)

Types of imaging used for diagnosis include special mammographic views, mammographic views taken from different angles, and ultrasound. If the findings obtained from additional studies indicate that there is a solid lesion, a biopsy is recommended.

Special mammographic views include magnification and spot compression. Magnification produces an enlarged image of a portion of the breast that contains small calcifications or small masses.

Spot compression applies more pressure to a small region in the breast. This thins out an area of dense tissue so that the x-rays produce a clearer image, making it easier for the radiologist to see if the tissue is normal or abnormal.

Sometimes views of the breast from different angles are required to see a questionable area. Typical additional views include:

• Cleavage view—Both breasts are compressed between a set of panels at the same time and a top-to-bottom view of a suspicious finding in tissue between the breasts.
• Rolled view—The breast is rolled to the right or left, compressed, and a top-to-bottom view is taken of a questionable area located in dense tissue.
• Mediolateral view—This image is taken from the center of the chest to the outer side of the breast.
• Lateromedial view—This image is taken from the outer side of the breast to the center of the chest.

Ultrasound is used to determine if a mass is a cyst or a possible cancer. Ultrasound is performed with a small, handheld device called a transducer. First, a gel is spread on the skin of the breast. The radiologist passes the transducer over the breast, which directs sound waves through the skin into the body. The sound waves create an image of the breast on a computer monitor.

© 1998-2008 Healthcommunities.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Mammography Resources

	Join Our Mammography Forum Do you have a question, want to share medical advice, or just need to discuss your situation with someone else having a similar experience? The healthchannels forum is a resource for everyone to share and discuss their health and medical needs with others.	Advertising Disclaimer
	Living with...Share your story Do you have a personal health story that you would like to share with others? As a source of free patient education, our goal is to provide our users with trustworthy information and support from others. That's why we've started our "Living with..." sections.
	Our "Living With..." support pages are a place to share experiences about living with a certain condition, disease, disorder, or illness and for loved ones of those dealing with health-related issues. Many people, especially when newly diagnosed, find comfort in knowing that others are having a similar experience. Help others by sharing your story. View stories already submitted.
	Stay Updated Sign up for our newsletter and receive important updates on the medical conditions that are most important to you.
Advertising Disclaimer To quickly access health information from your website's browser, download Healthcommunities.com's healthchannels toolbar. Advertising Disclaimer