When Is a Breast Ultrasound Used?
Ultrasound isn’t usually part of routine breast cancer screening, but it’s very helpful in certain situations, like the following:
- Checking a lump that can be felt but doesn’t appear clearly on a mammogram
- Looking at areas that seemed unusual on a mammogram
- Examining dense breast tissue, where mammograms may miss details
- Telling the difference between a cyst (fluid-filled and usually not cancer) and a solid lump (which might need more tests)
- Guiding a needle during a biopsy, especially when targeting a lump or a lymph node under the arm
Ultrasound is commonly available, costs less than many other tests and doesn’t involve radiation.
How Is It Done?
The test uses a small device called a transducer (kind of like a wand), which is gently moved across your skin. Here’s what happens:
- A gel is applied to your skin to help the transducer move smoothly.
- The transducer sends sound waves into the breast tissue.
- These waves bounce back, and a computer turns them into real-time images on a screen.
You may feel some light pressure, but the test shouldn’t hurt.
Some centers also offer Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS), which uses a larger transducer to scan more of the breast at once. This is beneficial for women with dense breast tissue. If ABUS finds something suspicious, a regular handheld ultrasound might be used to take a closer look.
