Question 1

how accurate is an ultrasound for breast cancer?

Accepted Answer

Very: When ultrasounds are used to evaluate a palpable lump or a mammographic abnormality, a directed ultrasound can very accurately differentiate a benign tumor from a malignant one.  Nevertheless, it is best to not rely exclusively on an ultrasound and to proceed to tissue diagnosis via biopsy, especially for women over age 40.

Question 2

what is the accuracy of breast cancer ultrasound?

Accepted Answer

Breast Cancer  test: Radiology specialist will review your ultrasound and give us the ideal report.  If there is questionable abnormality then MRI scan will need to be done to evaluate the breast abnormality. 
If ultrasound or MRI scan fined abnormal results then a biopsy of the abnormal part of the breast from radiologist or surgical oncologist will have to be done to find out if there is a true breast cancer.

Question 3

how accurate would 3 previous ultrasounds and mammograms in the space of 5 years be on a simple breast cyst? could that diagnosis be wrong?

Accepted Answer

Room for error: Any diagnostic medical test has room for error. The best diagnostic tool for a perceived breast cyst is fine needle aspiration/biopsy  by a MD.

Question 4

will a breast ultrasound be accurate on last day or a day after period are gone?thank you

Accepted Answer

Depends: Accuracy of breast imaging is determined by many factors including age, breat density, and the nature of the lesion being evaluated. The radiologist will determine if the images were adequate.

Question 5

which test is more accurate in detecting breast cancer recurrence: a pet or an ultrasound?

Accepted Answer

Depends: This depends on if your are looking for local recurrence in the breast (ultrasound can help) or distant recurrence (in other organs outside the breast)-pet is better.
They are both great tests.  If you have concerns, i recommend contacting your oncology team and consider getting a second opinion.

Question 6

how accurate or sensitive is an ultrasound for lobular breast cancer? is it 80% or 90% for example?

Accepted Answer

: A digital mammogram is the standard way of surveillance for breast disease.  An ultrasound is used preliminarily and is good for confirmation/location of palpable masses, but not accurate for the diagnosis of breast cancer.

Question 7

small grainy lump in breast. hard and painful before period. ultrasound 2 times, they say normal tissue. is ultrasound accurate to tell it is normal?

Accepted Answer

Not always: The chances are your condition is secondary to fibrocystic condition. However any lump in the breast requires complete evaluation and work up to rule out a potential malignancy. Ultrasound is an excellent test but it is very dependable on the equipment used and the person performing and interpreting it. You need to have a clinical exam by a breast care provider and may need  imaging studies.

Question 8

i would like to know the accuracy of detecting lobular breast cancer on ultrasound when having a palpable mass. some studies mention 80 90 %. but is lobular that hard to detect? how many percent of lobular is missed on an diagnostic ultrasound?

Accepted Answer

MY OPINION ONLY: The only sure and certain way of determining the cause of a mass in the breast is BIOPSY and (if possible) EXCISIONAL biopsy. This is not true of simple breast CYSTS however the 80-90% accuracy.....or for that matter 90%!!! accuracy I would not want to be in the "other" 5-10%    Again  MY OPINION ONLY....
Hope it's helpful!
Dr Z

Question 9

what does it mean if there are 'several marginal lobulations seen' in the breast on ultrasound?

Accepted Answer

: I can't be sure whether the interpreter is describing a breast mass or not &amp; I'd be disappointed if there's no definitive conclusion or recommendation in your report. I find this report ambiguous and,if you were my patient, I'd call the radiologist &amp; request more information about your study.

Question 10

should follow up breast ultrasounds after benign biopsy be done at the same facility for consistency purposes?

Accepted Answer

Yes : It is usually helpful to have your mammograms and ultrasounds done at the same facility.  It is easier for radiologist to compare results. Take care!

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Doctor answers about:

Accurate ultrasound breast

A member asked:

How accurate is an ultrasound for breast cancer?

A member asked:

What is the accuracy of breast cancer ultrasound?

A member asked:

How accurate would 3 previous ultrasounds and mammograms in the space of 5 years be on a simple breast cyst? could that diagnosis be wrong?

A member asked:

Will a breast ultrasound be accurate on last day or a day after period are gone?thank you

A member asked:

Which test is more accurate in detecting breast cancer recurrence: a pet or an ultrasound?

A member asked:

How accurate or sensitive is an ultrasound for lobular breast cancer? is it 80% or 90% for example?

A member asked:

Small grainy lump in breast. hard and painful before period. ultrasound 2 times, they say normal tissue. is ultrasound accurate to tell it is normal?

A member asked:

I would like to know the accuracy of detecting lobular breast cancer on ultrasound when having a palpable mass. some studies mention 80 90 %. but is lobular that hard to detect? how many percent of lobular is missed on an diagnostic ultrasound?

A member asked:

What does it mean if there are 'several marginal lobulations seen' in the breast on ultrasound?

A member asked:

Should follow up breast ultrasounds after benign biopsy be done at the same facility for consistency purposes?

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