Breast Evaluation and Diagnosis

Breast self-examination is the preliminary diagnosis for detecting breast cancer at its early stages. This includes feeling for lumps and looking for abnormal symptoms in the breasts. Other diagnostic tests may be performed if you are suspected of having breast cancer. Some of these tests include:

• Mammography: A skilled technician places and compresses your breast between 2 plates attached to a highly-specialized camera. The camera takes 2 pictures of the breast from different directions. The breast is compressed to reduce its thickness in order to obtain a clear X-ray image.
• Ultrasound scan: High frequency sound waves are emitted onto your breast and converted into images of the breast tissue.
• Biopsy: A small sample of breast tissue is removed from the area of concern and examined under a microscope to ascertain whether it is cancerous tissue and to determine the characteristics of the cancerous tissue.

The early detection of cancer makes treatment easier and more successful.