Screening whole breast ultrasound
Similar to Screening Mammography and Diagnostic Mammography, screening whole breast ultrasound is performed in healthy women who have dense breast tissue and diagnostic focused/limited ultrasound is performed in women who have a symptom detected by herself or her doctor or if there is something unclear on screening mammography and the radiologist needs to take a closer look.
Diagnostic Ultrasound
Diagnostic ultrasound is performed when a woman has a problem such as a palpable lump, nipple discharge or change in appearance of the breast or skin overlying the breast. These issues may be self-detected by a woman or by her physician or routine clinical breast exam. Diagnostic ultrasound may also be performed when there is something unclear on screening mammography and the radiologist needs to take a closer look. Often, diagnostic ultrasound is performed in conjunction with a diagnostic mammography. The exam is performed with a small hand-held transducer and is painless without ionizing radiation. Unlike Screening Whole Breast Ultrasound (ABUS), the exam is limited to focus on the portion of the breast that is symptomatic.