Breast cancer is the most diagnosed in women. Detecting it in time is vital for the treatment to be more effective and the chances of overcoming it to be greater. Having a mammogram or breast ultrasound is very important to detect changes in the breasts. If your gynecologist has recommended that you have a breast ultrasound, there are certain things you should know before undergoing the test. We tell you how to prepare for this medical test.

What is a breast ultrasound?

  1. Breast ultrasound is a medical test during which images are taken in real time through sound waves or ultrasound. It is a non-invasive analysis, which means that there are no cuts or injections.
  2. In the event that something has been found in a mammogram that needs to be explored further, the breast ultrasound will serve to provide more information.

What is a breast ultrasound used for?

A breast ultrasound is used to see the inside of your chest. The images obtained allow us to see the structure and interior movements. This type of ultrasound makes it possible to detect lesions inside the breast. It is the type of test that doctors recommend doing when the patient detects a small lump in the breast. It allows to differentiate if this is a cyst or if it is a tumor and, in this case, if it is benign or malignant. In any case, there are some types of cancer that cannot be seen with this medical test, so it is necessary to complement it with others. When there are dense breast problems, ultrasound scans are also done to analyze the lesions.

How to prepare for a breast ultrasound?

Before having a breast ultrasound, you should take into account the following considerations. It is not a medical test that requires many preparations, but it is worth keeping in mind the following considerations.
  • Avoid putting deodorant in your armpits.
  • It is also advisable to avoid the use of creams, lotions or powders in the chest area in case they could alter the result of the ultrasound.
  • You don't need to fast to get a breast ultrasound. You can eat normally before and after the test.
  • Go to the clinic or hospital where you are going to have your medical test dressed in comfortable clothes. Avoid going in a dress because they will ask you to undress from the waist up. You will feel more comfortable if you go with pants that are comfortable for you.
  • You can wear a bra, but you should know that they will take it off at the time of the test.
  • You will be asked to remove any jewelry you are wearing on your chest.

What does the test consist of?

  • When you arrive at the office, you will be asked to remove your shirt and bra. You may be given some type of hospital gown to cover yourself until the test begins.
  • You'll be asked to lie down on a table, and in some cases you'll need to raise your arm to make it easier to study the area.
  • They will put a transparent gel directly on the skin, which you will feel something cold.
  • Next to the stretcher there will be a machine with a monitor, where the images will be seen, and a small connected device that will bring you closer to the breast. Through waves they will be able to see the inside of your chest. The specialist who performs the test will move around the area to analyze this small control to see all the areas of your chest.
  • The duration of the breast ultrasound changes a lot depending on whether one breast or both are going to be studied. But usually it doesn't take much more than 10 minutes.
  • It is possible that the specialist will tell you what he is seeing in your ultrasound, but it will take a while to give you the final results.

Who should have a breast ultrasound?

Due to the prevalence of breast cancer, the main type of cancer that affects women, breast ultrasounds and mammograms are recommended for women older than 40 years. If you have a family history of breast cancer, you will be advised to have these tests before this age. In any case, your gynecologist will tell you when you should have this test. Therefore, do not hesitate to go to his office to ask him all your questions.

Does this ultrasound hurt?

Breast ultrasounds do not hurt, as they are non-invasive tests. In addition, by not using X-rays they do not pose any type of radiation hazard.

Is a mammogram the same as a chest ultrasound?

  • Both tests study the breast of the patients to detect cysts or other alterations. Mammography uses a small amount of radiation to obtain images of the inside of the breasts. To do it, the breast is placed on the machine designed to do this test and it is compressed to be able to see all the breast tissues.
  • Breast ultrasound is often used as a complementary analysis to mammography to obtain images of the interior of the breast. When the results of both are crossed, more complete information on the state of the breast is obtained.
  • Go to your gynecologist to study your case and, if necessary, perform a breast ultrasound.