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Breast Cancer (Expert Forum)
Results
Questions posted in the Breast Cancer Forum are answered by medical professionals from The Cleveland Clinic. Topics include Breast Biopsy, Chemotherapy, Hormone Therapy, Lumps, Lumpectomy, Lymph node dissection, Lymphedema, Mammograms, Mastectomy, Radiation Therapy, Reconstruction, Self Breast Exam, and Surgery.
Results
by sheilamac, Dec 17, 2002 12:00AM
I had a diagnostic mammogram on 11/25/02 and saw a breast surgeon on 12/10/02. I am scheduled for a biopsy on 12/26/02. The report stated that I had dense breast tissue that could make it difficult to see a malignancy. I was also given a BI-RADS of 4. The surgeon said that my exam was normal. Would the dense tissue affect the exam? Also, what is the percentage of patients with a BI-RADS = 4 not having DCIS? DCIS is what the surgeon said they were trying to rule out.
Doctor's Answer
by CCF-RN,MSN-JS, Dec 17, 2002 12:00AM
Dear sheilamac, BI-RADS rating scale for rating mammograms has five categories ranging from 1 (negative, nothing to comment on) to 5 (highly suggestive of malignancy). A 4 rating means there is a suspicious looking abnormality, not characteristic but has a reasonable probability of malignancy. Biopsy should be considered. That is about as much that can be offered at this point in terms of prediction of what your biopsy results might be. Dense tissue could effect the exam as it is said - making it more difficult to see an abnormality. Some of the features that are looked at when reading the mammogram include: is the density similar in both breasts? are there microcalcifications present? The findings are interpreted to give a rating (BI-RADS 4) and that information helps in terms of what the next step would be recommended.
