Breast ultrasound
Breast ultrasound is a painless, safe and informative way to diagnose breasts using an ultrasound preparation.
Ultrasound of the breast is done to diagnose various masses found on palpation. It is believed that ultrasound is a successful complement to mammography. With the help of targeted puncture biopsy under ultrasound guidance, a more accurate assessment of pathology can be achieved.
When it is necessary to do an ultrasound of the mammary glands
- During pregnancy and lactation;
- With complaints of breast diseases;
- For the purpose of preventive examination of the mammary glands, oncological examination (for women under 30 years old - once a year, for women after 30 years old - 2 times a year);
- With the inflammatory process in dynamics;
- To clarify the diagnosis when detecting neoplasms of the mammary glands by palpation or by X-ray mammography;
- With nodular mastopathy with atypical manifestations;
- With axillary lymph nodes, in order to clarify the nature of their increase;
- For the diagnosis of cysts of various sizes;
- To assess the condition of silicone breast prostheses;
- With the simultaneous sclerosis of several cysts.
Advantages and disadvantages
- To do an ultrasound of the mammary glands, you do not need any injections or needles, so the procedure is absolutely painless;
- Ultrasound preparations are readily available, are available in almost every hospital, and the study itself does not take much time and is cheaper than other diagnostic methods;
- Decoding of ultrasound of the mammary glands can be used for demonstration in real time, which is convenient for additional procedures, in particular, biopsy;
- Ultrasound is used to identify pathologies that are difficult to obtain with mammography alone;
- With the help of ultrasound, it is possible to determine not only diseased areas, but also healthy ones.
When conducting an ultrasound of the mammary glands, decoding the result is sometimes a problem. Decoding an ultrasound of the mammary glands may require a number of additional studies in the form of a biopsy or ultrasound. Most suspicious areas as a result of additional research turn out to be healthy;
Preparation for an ultrasound of the mammary glands
To conduct an ultrasound of the mammary glands, preparation is not needed. Experts recommend conducting a study from the 5th to the 14th day of the menstrual cycle.
Research technique
The patient is asked to undress above the waist. Most often, the study is carried out in the supine position. The doctor will apply a special water-based gel to the woman's chest, then apply the transmitter close to the body, smoothly moving it along the target area until the desired results are obtained. In most cases, the pressure from the transmitter does not cause any discomfort.
First of all, a healthy breast is examined, and then a gland with a probable pathology is examined. The study includes a mandatory scan of four zones of the lymph nodes: supraclavicular, subclavian, axillary and pereshock zones. The whole procedure takes no more than 10-15 minutes.
Contraindications to research
Ultrasound examination is a harmless non-invasive procedure, therefore there are no contraindications to its conduct.
special instructions
- Ultrasound can be used to diagnose the mammary glands, but this is not a reason for refusing to visit a mammologist;
- Many cancerous tumors cannot be seen with an ultrasound scan of the mammary glands. This will require a number of additional studies, in particular, biopsy;
- After a biopsy, most of the focal areas are healthy;
- When preparing for an ultrasound of the mammary glands, it is important to choose a hospital whose specialization is breast ultrasound, since more narrowly specialized specialists work there;
- Deciphering an ultrasound of the mammary glands depends on whether the doctor performing the procedure will notice the pathology during the initial checkup. Experience and high-quality equipment are important for this.
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