BREAST CANCER: MAMMOGRAM AND ULTRASOUND

A mammogram is a special x-ray of the breast. "Mamma" is the Latin word for the female breast. "Gram" comes from Greek and can be translated as the recording or presentation process. Mammograms are x-rays of the breast gland. They are able to display gland tissue on three levels. This allows the radiologist to detect fine differences in the density and composition of the tissue. Even the presence of the tiniest calcium deposits (micro-calcification), which is frequently the first sign of breast cancer, is traceable. To produce the images, the breast is placed between the x-ray tube and the film plate then gently compressed. The quality of the image is improved and the amount of radiation exposure reduced the more the breast is compressed. Most patients find this sensation unpleasant and painful. Generally two to three images of each breast are taken. If any inconclusive changes are apparent, several images may need to be taken.

To confirm the results of a mammogram, a supplementary ultrasound examination may be performed. This is a process using ultrasound waves to produce images of different areas of the body. As a result, the doctor receives two-dimensional images that provide a spatial view of the size, shape, structure and composition of the organs, soft tissue and vessels being examined. First the patient is positioned in a suitable manner for the affected area to be examined. The doctor then applies some gel to the transducer. By moving this hand-piece at different angles over the skin, the doctor can view and assess the organs and tissue from different directions. If the transducer were to pass over the skin without any gel on it, the ultrasound waves would be completely deflected through the air between the transducer and skin, leaving the doctor with no ultrasound images at all.