Ultrasound is useful in Diagnosing Hard to See Breast Cancers

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Michael J. Bernstein
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For Release
April 18, 1998

Ultrasound is useful in Diagnosing Hard to See Breast Cancers

A new study shows that ultrasound is a useful tool in detecting lobular carcinoma, a type of breast cancer that is difficult to see on a mammogram. The results of the study were presented April 18 at the American College of Radiology's 28th National Conference on Breast Cancer, held in Washington, DC April 18-21.

Lobular carcinoma, a rare form of breast cancer, appears on a mammogram only as a subtle abnormality, according to Dr. Marie E. Lee, study author and a radiologist at the Virginia Mason Medical Center in Seattle, WA. Ultrasound allows doctors to see the tumor more clearly and pinpoint its exact location, Dr. Lee said. In many cases, such tumors are visible on only one mammographic view, making it difficult to determine their location.

"This is really helpful for us because we can use ultrasound to enhance subtle mammographic findings," she said.

Currently, a doctor who sees a subtle abnormality on a mammogram might recommend that the patient return in six months or a year for a follow-up mammogram, Dr. Lee said. Ultrasound offers physicians an alternative that would enable them to detect lobular carcinomas more quickly, before they can spread to other parts of the body.

The ultrasound procedure is a diagnostic tool which is used only when the doctor is not confident about the results of a mammogram. In that case, the patient would probably return for additional mammographic views before having an ultrasound, Dr. Lee

said. The ultrasound uses no radiation and is painless for the patient. The test takes approximately 20 minutes.

Dr. Lee also cited an additional benefit of using ultrasound to detect lobular carcinomas. The physician can use the ultrasound as a guidance mechanism to biopsy any suspicious lumps and determine if they are benign or malignant. The physician would use the ultrasound images as a guidance tool to insert a needle into the breast and obtain a sample of the mass.

The American College of Radiology is a major medical association with over 38,000 members worldwide. The membership includes diagnostic radiologists, radiation oncologists and medical physicists.

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