Breast ultrasonography

Alternative names:

ultrasonography of the breast

How the test is performed:

Your health care provider explains the test then asks you to remove your clothing from the waist up. You lay face down on the examination table and immerse one breast in a tank of warm water. The ultrasonic waves are transmitted through the water and reflected off your breast, producing a measurable image of the tissue layers in your breasts. The test is then repeated for the other breast if both breasts are to be scanned.

How to prepare for the test:

Since you need to remove your clothing from the waist up, it may be helpful to wear a two-piece outfit. On the day of the test, do not use any lotions or powders on your breasts.

Inform your health care provider if your have back problems, and efforts will be made to provide support during the test. The position you need to maintain may be stressful on your back and difficult to maintain if your have back problems.

How the test will feel:

The number of people involved in the test will be limited to protect your privacy. The water will feel warm as you immerse your breast, and nothing other than the water will touch your breasts. You will hear the machine as it sends the ultrasonic waves.

Why the test is performed:

Breast ultrasonography is more dynamic than mammography in many areas. Ultrasonography may be used in the following types of women to detect and classify breast lesions:

• women with dense breasts
• women with fibrocystic breast disease
• young women with masses
• pregnant women with masses
• women with silicon breast implants
• women who refuse exposure to X-rays (mammography)
• women who should not be exposed to X-rays