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CancerQuest > Introduction to Patient Information > Introduction to Cancer Detection and Diagnosis > Introduction to Ultrasound Imaging > Ultrasound for Specific Cancers: Breast

Ultrasound for Specific Cancers: Breast

Breast ultrasounds are used mainly to further examine breast abnormalities detected by a physician during a physical exam or mammogram. ⁽¹⁾⁽²⁾

The single most important factor affecting the accuracy of ultrasounds is breast density. In a study of 3,626 women with dense breasts, ultrasounds were used instead of physical exams to detect abnormalities. This study found that the number of breast cancer cases found by ultrasound was 17% higher than those found by physical exams. ⁽³⁾⁽⁴⁾

The images below show ultrasound results for a normal breast (left) and a breast containing a cyst (right)
 

Image courtesy of Brent Burbridge, MD Saskatoon Medical Imaging, Saskatoon Canada.

Over 50% of women under the age of 50, and about 33% of women over 50 have dense breasts.⁽¹⁾ Young women have breasts that are dense and full of milk glands, sometimes making mammograms difficult to interpret. For this reason, many physicians will recommend that women under the age of 30 who have a lump in their breast get an ultrasound exam before a mammogram.⁽⁵⁾

Ultrasound is also used today for women with breast implants. Since there is very little tissue around a silicone implant to be x-rayed, mammograms are not always useful to detect abnormalities. Ultrasounds are also used as an alternative imaging method for pregnant women because they should not be exposed to x-rays.⁽¹⁾

References for this page:

1. "Breast Ultrasound" Radiology Info (07-10-2007) [http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?PG=breastus]
2. Kolb TM, et al. "Comparison of the Performance of Screening Mammography, Physical Examination, and Breast US and Evaluation of Factors that Influence Them: An Analysis of 27,825 Patient Evaluations." Radiology (2002) 225(1):165-175. [PUBMED]
3. Kolb TM, et al. "Occult cancer in women with dense breasts: detection with screening US-- diagnostic yield and tumor characteristics." Radiology (1998). Apr; 207(1): 191-9. [PUBMED]
4. "Researchers Study The Benefits Of Using Ultrasound On Women With Dense Breast Tissue." American Cancer Society (08-03-2010) [http://our.cancer.org/docroot/NWS/content/NWS_3_1x_Researchers_Study_The_Benefits_Of_Using_Ultrasound_On_Women_With_Dense_Breast_Tissue.asp]
5. "Ultrasound." Breastcancer.org (07-10-2007) [http://www.breastcancer.org/testing_ultrasound.html]