Mammogram question

nancy324

nancy324

Cathlete
I recently went for a mammogram and the results state that "Your recent mammogram shows you have dense breasts. An ultrasound is recommended for a complete evaluation." I am not concerned, because my doctor said they didn't "find" anything, but I'm just curious as to how common this is?

Has anyone else been told to go for an ultrasound after having a mammogram?

Thanks.
-Nancy
 
Hi Nancy,

Yes I have been told the same thing. Only, they told me as soon as they did the mammogram and did the ultrasound while I was there. Apparently breasts are like everything else. Some are "dense" and some are not. . . I am only 33 and they seemed to find this to be a normal phenomena. Don't worry about it. Actually, I was fascinated by the ultrasound and the girl who did it was really great and answered all my "What the hell is that?!?!?!" questions. :eek: :+

I felt better knowing that after a mammogram AND an ultrasound I was given the "all clear".

Take care.
 
Nancy, I think it's becoming more and more common, because mammograms really aren't the best tool for checking on "dense" breasts. I've been having mammograms since I was in my 20's due to the dense, fibrous nature of my breast tissue and I would imagine that I'll start going for ultrasounds soon, especially given my family history.
 
Rogue and Shelley, thanks so much for responding so quickly. I've had 5 mammograms before this one, and this is the first time I've been told that I need an ultrasound. I wonder what's up with that? Maybe as Shelley said, they're just becoming more common now.

-Nancy
 
Hi Nancy. I also was told last year that I had dense breasts and needed to go for an ultrasound this year. I went. I say better safe than sorry. My mother had breast cancer so I am extra cautious.

Marcy
 
Hey Nancy:) I don't have 'dense' breasts (quite the contrary;-) ), be that as it may, I was requisitioned for an ultrasound in 2003 after an inconclusive mammogram. Because of my history I get regular mammograms but that was the first time for an ultrasound. Admittedly it was somewhat worrisome while reassuring at the same time to have that extra look inside. Peace of mind is priceless:)

Take Care
Laurie:)
 
Hi,

I have very dense breats and have been seeing a surgeon every six months for the last 7 years on top of a digital mamagram and ultra sound once a year. My GYN paniced once when I was in and sent me to the surgeon. Obviously cancer is much more difficult to detect in this type of breat tissue. The surgeon once showed me my mamagram film vs someone without dense breasts and mine is completely white inside the breast area whereas someone's without dense breast tissue is black. It was an eye opener. She says that mammograms are not fail safe when breast tissue is very dense.

Tracy
 
Thanks, Tracy. I have been surfing the internet and have learned that dense breasts have less fatty tissue. Fatty tissue appears as black on mammograms, and cancer appears as white, so problems are easily detected in breasts with more fatty tissue. As you say, the non-fatty breast tissue shows as white, and it is very difficult to distinguish it from cancerous areas.

I had mammograms at age 40, 42, 44, 46 and 48 and I was never asked to go for a sonogram. Now, at age 50, I need to start going annually. I guess I'm going to have to have both tests every year when I go now. They say that after menopause, breasts tend to be less dense, so maybe the recommendation will change again at some point.

I sure wish they had taken care of both tests at the same time when I was there last week.

-Nancy
 
Nancy,

You're right, low body fat makes it even worse. I still eat a very low fat diet and have for years. I also read that it is more common in smaller women.

The good thing for me is that when I get the comprehensive digital mamogram with the sonogram they do it all at once and I leave with the results.

I had a scare last time though. I think that I am starting to go through menopause and the breast tissue is less dense. They saw something, fibroaedonmas, and of course the technician freaked out because of the density of my breasts. ( She said I should be getting an MRI once a year along with the mamogram once a year.) I had to go for a MRI too. Luckily, I have been seeing the surgeon regularly. Since she knows my breast tissue, her exam and the MRI, kept me out of surgery for a biopsy. She's one of the best in the DC area, if anyone ever needs one. I really am confident in her. Anyways, she commented that everyone wants to get me into surgery. For years I have gotten comments like, "I've never seen any that dense..."

I will reinterate that the surgeon said that mamograms do not catch all cancers in dense breast tissue and that's why I see her every six months. My mother also has very dense breast tissue and has also seen a surgeon every six months for years.

Tracy
 
>I will reinterate that the surgeon said that mamograms do not
>catch all cancers in dense breast tissue and that's why I see
>her every six months. My mother also has very dense breast
>tissue and has also seen a surgeon every six months for
>years.
>
>Tracy

Tracy,
Since I already know that mammograms don't catch much of anything, did you mean to say that SONOGRAMS do not catch all cancers in dense breast tissue and that's why you see the surgeon every 6 months? What does the surgeon do that the other tests don't do?
-Nancy
 
Hi,

Believe me, I am no expert. I never really asked, but I don't think that sonograms are as good at detecting cancers as mamograms. If they were, why wouldn't that be the screening tool of choice? They do show a better picture of the things that they see on mamograms. After doing some research myself, cancerous growths are characteristically irregularly shaped vs, the ones I have that are smooth and oval. They are easily seen on the sonogram along with cysts, which have a white outline, but are black inside. One of the fibroaednomas that the surgeon knew I had, and even I could feel for years, was not seen on the mamogram nor sonogram until this past time.

I think that she can feel irregularities before they show up on the mamogram. Especially since that is all that she does and she knows the texture feel of my breasts and also cancerous growths feel very different.

Do you get digital mamograms? They are supposed to be a little better. Also, the technician that did the sonogram said that MRIs are done routinely in Europe, but that insurance companies don't want to pay for them in the US.

Yours is probably nothing, but thinking about all of this is nerve racking.

Tracy
 
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