BREAST ULTRASOUND and automated breast ultrasound (abus)

Ultrasound uses sonar, or high-frequency sound waves, to capture real-time images of organs inside the body. The noninvasive and generally painless exam is often used to determine if a suspicious area is a fluid-filled cyst or a solid mass that requires further testing. The imaging tool is also used to guide breast biopsies.

What’s an Automated Breast Ultrasound?

Approximately 40% of women have dense breasts, one of the strongest common risk factors for developing breast cancer.  Having dense breasts may increase a woman's chance of developing breast cancer. A high percentage of breast cancers are found in women with dense breasts.

2D and 3D mammography may miss some cancers in dense breasts, potentially delaying diagnosis. Both dense breast tissue and cancer appear white on a mammogram, sometimes creating a dangerous camouflage effect and a dilemma for radiologists whose goal is to find breast cancer as early as possible.

Automated Breast Ultrasound is a comfortable alternative to other supplemental screening options for women with dense breast tissue. When used in addition to mammography, ABUS was shown to improve breast cancer detection by 37.5 percent over mammography alone in a recent study. 

What to expect?

For most breast ultrasound exams, you will lie face-up or on your side. A clear gel is applied to the skin to eliminate air pockets between the transducer and the skin. An ultrasound technologist firmly presses the transducer against your skin, moving it back and forth over the specific area.

Generally the exam is completed within 15-30 minutes. In some cases, at the conclusion of your exam you may be asked to dress and wait while the ultrasound images are reviewed. Breast ultrasound is used frequently in conjunction with diagnostic mammography to help identify and clarify clinical and mammographic findings.