If there is a lump on a person's breast do they still go for a mammogram?

Given that mammography is used mainly inthe screening of breast cancer, if a definite lump has been found on a person's breast do they still go for a mammogram or would the doctor skip that and progress to ultrasound or MRI to obtain more information on the character of the tumour.

Depending on your age, a doctor would start with a mammogram (if you are around 30 or older) or a breast ultrasound (if you are under 30). Breast MRI is not widely used, due to time involved for the scan, the expensive costs and the limited availability of the specialized camera (called a coil) needed to do a breast MRI. Since most breast lumps are benign and harmless and can be diagnosed with less expensive imaging, it would be a great waste of money and resources to go straight to a MRI. Mammograms and ultrasounds run a couple of hundred dollars each, while a MRI runs around $1500 or higher. Most insurance companies will not pay for a breast MRI, except in special situations (the patient has implants which makes it harder to image the breast, a personal or strong family history of breast cancer or a breast mass that is deep, against the chest wall, which makes it hard to visualize with traditional methods).

Young women have dense breasts. Dense tissue appears white on the x-ray film....and so do all signs of breast cancer (both masses/lumps or calcifications). You cannot see white pathology through white, dense tissue. It is like trying to see a white volleyball in a the snow in a photograph. So, mammography is not as accurate on young women. Most lumps in young women are cysts, and ultrasound is very good at visualizing cysts.

Also, remember that the far majority of breast lumps found at any age are NOT cancer. Mammograms are a good place to start. Remember that an ultrasound cannot visualize microcalcifications (which can be an early sign of cancer), but a mammogram can. The mammogram can be followed by an ultrasound, if more information is needed. If the ultrasound is inconclusive, a biopsy will usually follow. There are highly directed and accurate needle core biopsies available which are not all that much more expensive than a breast MRI, believe it or not!

If you have discovered a lump, visit your doctor, and they are well educated on what steps to take to make sure you get an accurate diagnosis. Best wishes.....

You always have to get one, if you find one yes you will get one, so don't put off getting one cause your gonna have to get one anyways.

You will need to get a mammogram first. Then from thereon the doctor will do a ultrasound or MRI for more information.

If you found a lump, go for the mammogram immediately if the doctor do tell you so.

Go for the mammogram and quickly!

Better go thro the mammography to rule out the probability of cancer.

A mammograme does not always show everything up, best to have a ultrasound & MRI, after the mammograme.

Hi there !
These factors ultimately depend upon the age of the pateint, clinical features, symptoms, investigations done so far, personal exam etc etc...
And of course depends also on the experience of the consultant and also the clinical approach of the doctor...
Maybe you can have a detailed chat with your consultant..please ! He knows you better...agree ?
best wishes !

There are 2 types of mammograms: screening mammograms, and diagnostic mammograms. You are referring to screening mammograms. This is generally 2 views of each breast, top - bottom and side to side.

Diagnostic mammograms are used exactly when a lump is found. There are more views taken, and often spot compressions of the lump are done. They can make mammograms that "zoom in" on the lump. Often at the same appointment an ultrasound is done to help the diagnosis.

From there, the radiologist classifies the mammograms/ultrasound into one of 5 groups. The classification determines if s/he determines that there is little chance of malignancy, or if a biopsy is recommended.

Don't delay, if you or someone you know/love has a lump, please get it checked.