Breast Sonography
What
is Breast Sonography?
Breast
sonography is a new specialty registry available to sonographers and
students. Breast sonography is most frequently used to better evaluate
any abnormality seen in a screening or diagnostic mammogram or during
a clinical breast exam performed by a physician. Ultrasound allows
images of the breast from almost any orientation. A sonogram can
efficiently determine if a suspicious area on a mammography film is a
cyst versus a solid mass. If a solid mass is found, a biopsy is
usually done under ultrasound guidance to determine if the mass is benign
or malignant.
There
are many benefits of breast sonography:
- After
a mammogram, ultrasound can provide new clinical information for
women with dense breasts.
- When
breast masses or abnormalities are found, ultrasound is a good choice
for characterizing the mass.
- Ultrasound,
in most cases, can eliminate the need for a biopsy. However,
if a biopsy is necessary, ultrasound guidance is used to ensure the
correct tissue is being biopsied.
What is a Breast Sonogram?
For a breast ultrasound, a small
handheld instrument called a transducer is passed back and forth over the
breast. It sends out high-pitched sound waves (above the range of human
hearing) that are reflected back to the transducer. A detector analyzes
the sound waves and converts them into a picture that is displayed on a
video monitor.
The patient will be asked to
undress from the waist up and gel will be placed on their breast. The
transducer will be pressed on the breast and an image will appear on the
screen. The sonographer will take diagnostic images. A
breast ultrasound exam usually takes between 15 and 30 minutes to complete.
Additional time may be needed if a mammogram will be done before the ultrasound
or if a biopsy is
also scheduled. The patient may be asked to wait until a radiologist has
reviewed the images.
For more information
about earning potential and work environment for sonographers, visit the
Inside
Scoop.
Links:
- Breast
Ultrasound Foundation The
Breast Ultrasound Foundation’s mission is to increase public and
professional awareness of the role of quality ultrasound in the detection
and management of breast cancer and in women’s health.
- Society
of Diagnostic Medical
Sonographers The SDMS was founded in 1970 to promote, advance, and educate its members
and the medical community in the science of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
- American
Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers ARDMS
is an independent, nonprofit organization that administers examinations
and awards credentials in the areas of diagnostic medical sonography,
diagnostic cardiac sonography and vascular technology.
- Joint
Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography The
mission of the JRC-DMS and its sponsoring organizations is to cooperate
to establish, maintain, and promote appropriate standards of quality
for educational programs in diagnostic medical sonography and to
provide recognition for educational programs that meet or exceed the
standards.
- Commission
on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
CAAHEP
is the largest programmatic/specialized accreditor in the health
sciences field. In collaboration with its Committees on Accreditation,
CAAHEP reviews and accredits more than 2000 educational programs
in twenty-one health science occupations across the United States
and Canada.
Images:
 |
 |
 |
Ultrasound
image showing
adjacent breast masses:
one a simple cyst,
the other
debris filled. |
Colorflow
shows small
superficial vessels at the
nipple. |
Solid
irregular breast
mass with calcification
(calcium deposits). |
|
