Breast Ultrasound

Breast ultrasound can add important information to the results of other tests, such as a mammogram or Reference magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) Opens New Window. It also may provide information that is not found with a mammogram. A breast ultrasound may be done to:

• Find the cause of breast symptoms, such as pain, swelling, and redness.
• Check a breast lump found on breast self-examination or physical examination. It is used to see whether a breast lump is fluid-filled (a cyst) or if it is a solid lump. A lump that has no fluid or that has fluid with floating particles may need more tests.
• Check abnormal results from a mammogram.
• Look at the breasts in younger women because their breast tissue is often more dense, and a mammogram may not show as much detail.
• Reference Guide the placement of a needle or other tube to drain a collection of fluid (Reference cyst Opens New Window) or pus (Reference abscess Opens New Window), take a sample of breast tissue (Reference biopsy Opens New Window), or guide breast surgery.
• Watch for changes in the size of a cyst or a noncancerous lump (fibroadenoma).
• See how far cancer has spread in a breast.
• Check your breasts if you have silicone breast implants or dense breasts. In these situations, a mammogram may not be able to see breast lumps.

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