Differences between ultrasound and mammography
Written by:Breast ultrasound is an imaging technique. It developed in the 50s, it is a safe technique that uses sound waves of high frequency to hit the mammary gland are bounced and detected by the transducer sends, making real-time images.
Breast ultrasound applications
Breast ultrasound to visualize the internal structure of the breast in multiple planes. Thus, when mammography images fails to detect because breast density, ultrasound does.
Experts explain Mastology one of the most important applications of breast ultrasound is to differentiate benign lesions, such as cysts or fibroadenoma, Cancer.
Who a breast ultrasound should be performed
- Women under age 30 with a history, although not display symptoms.
- Pregnant women.
- Women over age 35 with symptoms that are not detected by mammography, or in the case that if you have seen, to give more information.
- In women with nipple discharge in women with implants, operated.
- In biopsies, to guide sampling.
- When the type of female breast can hide information on a mammogram.
When and how a breast ultrasound should be performed
The breast ultrasound may be performed annually, semi-annually or when clinically necessary.
They are made with the woman supine, with raised arms and body slightly tilted to one side or the other, depending on the breast explored. Breast ultrasound is performed with a transducer, using a conductive gel on the skin of the breast.
Differences between breast ultrasound and mammography
Mammography is a diagnostic imaging technique that uses X-rays. This is the only accepted method as breast cancer despistage. Unlike ultrasound, mammography more easily detected microcalcifications, which are one of the first signs of a type of breast cancer.
On the other hand, as is done manually, it is possible that ultrasound does not go through the exact site of an injury, especially in large breasts and fat.
Thus, while ultrasound can not replace mammography, it complements and is helpful.
