all
natural breast enhancement - click here
to buy
Mammography: Diagnostic Breast Mammograms
All women should perform a breast
self-exam (BSE) on a monthly basis in order to ensure
that no lumps have developed in their breasts, and that no change
in the shape or texture of their breasts has occurred. Women over
age 40, and women who are not considered high risk for breast
cancer, should get a screening mammogram every 1-2 years. Women,
who have a previous history of breast cancer, or a family history
of breast cancer, are considered high risk and should be screened
younger than age 40, and screened more frequently.
A
screening mammogram can detect lumps or tumors that are
typically not felt by a breast self- exam (BSE). It can also find
tiny calcium deposits that, in some cases, are indicative of cancer.
A diagnostic breast mammogram checks
for signs of cancer when a lump or other symptom has been discovered
on a screening mammogram, but does not determine if a lump is
benign or malignant. This type of mammogram can better identify
breast changes initially found on a screening mammogram. It views
more clearly breast tissue that is difficult to see on a screening
mammogram due to the fact that different angles can be adopted
and images are magnified.
The diagnostic breast mammogram
can store the image directly on film or directly on a computer
(digital); both use x-ray radiation to produce the image. Research
has not shown that digital images are better at showing cancer
than x-ray film images. However, digital imaging has the following
advantages:
A breast ultrasound
detects changes that are felt, but not visible on a mammogram.
It helps differentiate between fluid filled cysts and solid masses.
There is no exposure to radiation during this procedure. An ultrasound
uses high frequency sound waves that translate into a picture
displayed on a computer screen. There is no positive determination
as to whether or not a suspected mass is cancer.
When breast
cancer is suspected, an MRI (magnetic resonance imaging)
is effective in providing a further look. This equipment can show
if the lymph glands are enlarged, indicate if they contain cancer
and provide a clue to the stage of cancer. A breast tumor that
did not show up on a mammogram can show up on an MRI. An MRI can
help guide a biopsy needle into tumors not seen on mammograms;
the process is known as ‘MRI- guided biopsy’.
The Ultimate Diagnostic Tool
Even though the diagnostic breast mammogram can discover a suspicious
area, it cannot determine the presence of cancer. Only a biopsy
can determine if a tumor is positive or negative for cancer cells.
A biopsy procedure entails removing cells from a tumor with a
needle or scapula, and examining them under a microscope.
Signs of breast cancer
include pain, thickening of skin on the breast, a change in breast
shape or size, or nipple discharge. Mammograms are but one tool
in the wide spectrum of tests available for the definitive diagnosis
of breast cancer. Ongoing research in early breast cancer detection
is saving millions of lives.
