With an anticipated 281,550 new cases and 43,600 deaths in the US in 2021, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women.
Breast ultrasonography screening is a useful technique that can help locate breast cancer early when it’s most treatable. Early detection is crucial to a successful course of therapy.
In this article, we will talk about the benefits of breast ultrasound screening for breast cancer detection.
What Is Screening With A Breast Ultrasound?
An ultrasound of the breast uses sound waves to make pictures of the breast tissue. The test is painless.
It is often used along with mammograms, which are X-ray pictures of the breast, because it can show more detail of some parts of the breast, like thick breast tissue or places where a mammogram found something suspicious.
Advantages Of Screening For Breast Ultrasound
Screening for breast cancer with an ultrasound has many perks, such as:
- Early Detection: Breast cancer can be found early with the help of an ultrasound when it is more likely to be treated.
- Accuracy: An ultrasound is a very accurate imaging test that can help tell the difference between breast lumps that are normal (not cancerous) and malignant (cancerous).
- No radiation: There is no radiation exposure during a breast ultrasound, but there is during an X-ray mammogram.
- Added to mammograms: Mammograms can give you more information than an ultrasound, especially if you have thick breast tissue or a high risk of getting breast cancer.
Some people who are very likely to get breast cancer may be told to get both a mammogram and a breast ultrasound. A breast ultrasound may also be helpful for women with thick breast tissue because it can be harder for a mammogram to find breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue.
Also Read: Venus Williams Forfeits Match Against Trans Woman: Check Out The Unknown Facts
Who Should Get An Ultrasound Of Their Breasts?
Starting at age 40, the American Cancer Society (ACS) says that women with an average chance of getting breast cancer should get regular mammograms.
Women who have a high chance of getting breast cancer might need to start getting scans and breast ultrasounds earlier.
Talk to your doctor about the things that put you at risk for breast cancer and when you should start getting tests to check for it.
How To Get Ready For A Breast Ultrasound?
There is no need to do anything extra to get ready for a breast ultrasound. You’ll be told to take off your clothes and put on a gown.
The ultrasound tech will put warm gel on your breast and take pictures of your breast tissue with a mobile transducer. The process usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes.
What To Expect After Getting A Breast Ultrasound?
After the breast ultrasound, the technologist will go over the pictures with you and talk to you about what they see. If your doctor finds any places that don’t look right, they may suggest that you have more tests, like a biopsy.
Why Breast Cancer Screening Is Important?
An important part of a woman’s health care is getting checked for breast cancer. If your risk of getting breast cancer is normal, talk to your doctor about when you should start getting them.
If you have a high chance of getting breast cancer, your doctor may suggest that you get breast ultrasounds as well.
Conclusion
In conclusion, breast cancer is still a big health problem for women. In the US, cases and deaths are expected to rise in 2021. Along with mammograms, breast ultrasound screening has benefits like finding cancer early, being accurate, and not exposing the person to radiation.
It helps women who have thick breast tissue or who are at a high risk of getting breast cancer the most. The American Cancer Society says that starting at age 40, regular screenings are very important for finding cancer early and getting good care.