Breast cancer diagnosis & detection

1. Breast exam

After going through your medical history, possible risk factors, and symptoms, your doctor will start with a breast examination. The specialist examines the breasts for lumps and some other visible symptoms and abnormalities. It is a physical examination done by a doctor and generally does not need any equipment.¹

2. Mammogram

This is the most common type of x-ray test done during a primary screening.Mammogramsare administered to detect breast cancer in women with no apparent symptoms. Mammography helps a specialist identify breast lumps, abnormalities and determine if the indicative symptoms you have are because of the presence of cancer.1
There are two types of mammograms: diagnostic and screening. In comparison to screening, diagnostic mammograms are more detailed x-rays of the breast done using specialized techniques.¹

3. Ultrasound

An ultrasound uses sound waves that do not affect the breast tissue to create a clear picture of the deep breast tissues. If a suspicious site or lump is detected in the breast on a screening mammogram, experts may ask for a breast tissue ultrasound. It also provides help in distinguishing between a solid mass and a fluid-filled cyst.¹

4. Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Also known as MRI, these tests are used as a screening tool for people with a higher risk of breast cancer and help in identifying cancer, the extent of the disease, and other abnormalities. MRI can be recommended as a follow-up to a mammogram or an ultrasound.¹

5. Scintimammography

This is an imaging test, also identified as nuclear medicine breast imaging. This test investigates a breast abnormality discovered during mammography. The procedure is non-invasive, and the patient requires an injection of a radioactivity-emitting drug for this test. This test helps a physician determine the presence of cancer and clear the necessity of a biopsy or additional follow-ups. Since this is not a primary screening tool and cannot substitute mammography, it is used as a screening tool for women who cannot undergo MRI screening and have an elevated risk for breast cancer.²

6. Biopsy

A biopsy is a procedure in which the doctor obtains a breast tissue or fluid sample from the suspicious area for laboratory analysis. These removed samples are analyzed under a microscope and also tested to check for the presence of cancer cells. Abiopsyis the only diagnostic way to confirm if the cells are cancerous, the type of cancer that has developed, and also provide a complete picture of the situation.¹

Types of biopsy procedures are:³
 

• Fine-needle aspiration
• Core-needle biopsy
• Surgical biopsy