What
is a Diagnostic Ultrasound?
The Radiologists at the Comprehensive Breast Center of Oklahoma
make extensive use of high resolution breast ultrasound in
many situations. It is invaluable in evaluating children,
teenagers and young women who have lumps without exposing
them to radiation while their breasts are developing. We regularly
find masses in women with mammographically dense breasts,
which are obscured on the mammogram. Questioned physical findings
and mammographic findings are often clarified with breast
ultrasound by our experienced staff. Ultrasound is also useful
in evaluating lumps in the underarm or the post-mastectomy
chest wall, areas not accessible to x-ray. Ultrasound is more
sensitive than the mammogram in demonstrating silicone leaks
from implants. The Clinical Breast Radiologists make extensive
use of ultrasound for accurate guidance of needles for cyst
aspirations and needle biopsies.
While
breast ultrasound is now being practiced more widely, it is
highly operator dependent. Our staff has had extensive training
and experience in the application and interpretation of high
resolution breast ultrasound and performs it regularly. Our
sonographers' diagnostic abilities are enhanced by their performance
of a physical examination and knowledge of the mammographic
findings prior to scanning the breast. This enhances our ability
to find subtle lesions. Furthermore, our Clinical Breast Radiologists'
extensive experience in correlating imaging findings with
the pathology findings of our needle biopsies enhances their
diagnostic abilities in interpreting the ultrasound studies.