Mammogram results dense area

[Judy ro]

I just received a call from the Women's Health Center and they stated I needed to come in for
additional testing because the mammogram showed a dense area. I haven't told anyone but
I am scared to death.

I am 62 yo without any family history. Has anyone had this situation?

Thanks

[TanaMary]

A related discussion, Why do follow ups take so long??? was started.

[flatlanderlace]

A related discussion, Area of concern was started.

[katrat49]

A related discussion, Dense area on left breast was started.

[Montana girl 06]

The first time I played that waiting game I was also very anxious and stressed. It did get better with time, and in the end we decided against biopsy. I'm playing the waiting game again but feel better this time around.  Since you have dense breasts were you able to get a digital mammogram? I hope you sleep better tonight.

[L.A. Alert]

Dear Montana Girl 06

Thank you.  

I had my second mammogram today. It was a more severe process where they pressed and flattened the breast as much as possible to spread out the density.  The results were the same - something suspcious.

I then had the ultra sound which showed nothing.  The doctor said I need to have another mammogram in six months.  

Her reasoning is that either it's nothing and I'm fine or it's something too little to show up on the ultra sound yet and they need to watch it.  What caught their attention is that these two current mammograms were different from my last mammogram.

Last night was tough.  I thought I was fine, but I had nightmares and woke up every two hours.
Today I in a kind of after shock, as if I'm acting normal and as if everything is normal but with an undercurrent of nervous tension.  And I'm avoiding going to bed. (sigh).  I must be wary of more nightmares.

Thank you and all the wonderful women who make this forum work.  It's a wonderful place to share and learn.  


L. A. Alert

[Montana girl 06]

Breast problems can be stressful, but most of them turn out ok. I hope you're one of them. Let us know how the ultrasound turns out. I hope you can stay with the "feeling fine" mood. Worry and stress just wears us down and there's no need to worry anyway unless they find a problem.

[L.A. Alert]

Hello,

My doctor just caled to say the breast center wants to do a follow up on my mammogram.
He said it was not a lump, not a cyst and not calcification.  They saw something, probably a shadow, on my right breast.  I need to schedule an ultrasound. He also said I had dense breasts.

(sigh)  I'm alternating between feeling certain that I am fine and wondering if I am foolish to feel that way.  Today was such a good day. I've been following the instructions of a nutritionist and getting
all kinds of wonderful energy back. I feel good and look good, and now this.

I'll be 66 next month.  No history of breast cancer is in the family. My father died at age 80 from heart failure.  My mother died at 90 from, I believe, just being worn out. They were both heavy smokers.  

I have a a small mole on my right breast.  Dermatologist gave it the okay.  The mammography technician put a small marker on the spot.  I'm wondering/hoping that market got mixed up in the reading.

Tomorrow I'll make the appointment and keep you posted.  I'm so glad to have found this forum.

L.A. Alert

[Montana girl 06]

Sorry to hear about your breast problems. I know how stressful it is. Please keep us posted.

[longtallblonde]

I just had a call yesterday, have to go back tomorrow for a diagnostic mammogram.  I also am pretty scared.  It showed a density on the left breast.  Good new for Jenn WA, hope all of us are that blessed.  I'll let everyone know.

[Jen P]

Now I'm in the same boat as JennWA and also at 3:00. Could you feel anything or did they see it on ultrasound?  They found 1 dense area on my mammogram, it is only showing up in one of the views and was present on both the basic screening and then the spot mammomography.  The area of concern is approximately 2 cm in diameter.  They could not see anything on the ultrasound (so it's not a cyst) and I cannot feel a mass or lump, a ridge maybe??? or am I imagining it?? I'm scheduled for a biopsy tomorrow and am petrified.    

[styrafoam]

I am 64 & have had silicone implants for 32 years with regular mammograms and no problems. The left nipple inverted about a year ago & a new Dr. who did a mammogram & an ultraound with nothing abnormal,  now wants to do an MRI for dense tissue and to be sure all is well. Does this sound reasonable?

[Jen P]

Now I'm in the same boat as JennWA and also at 3:00. Could you feel anything or did they see it on ultrasound?  They found 1 dense area on my mammogram, it is only showing up in one of the views and was present on both the basic screening and then the spot mammomography.  The area of concern is approximately 2 cm in diameter.  They could not see anything on the ultrasound (so it's not a cyst) and I cannot feel a mass or lump, a ridge maybe??? or am I imagining it?? I'm scheduled for a biopsy tomorrow and am petrified.  

[Montana girl 06]

I'm so glad to hear your masses were fibroadenomas! Thanks for letting us know.

[JennWA]

The 2 masses were fibroadenomas!  This has certainly been the scariest week of my life.  Ladies, try as hard as you can not to freak out when you get a call back and even when you have to get biopsied.  I was SURE I had stage III breast cancer, and it all turned out okay in my case.  This board helped immensely.  Montana girl06...thanks for the words of encouragement!  Everyone...good luck.  I'm sending good vibes to all of you!!

[Montana girl 06]

I've had 3 benign biopsies. Unfortunately, some of us women just get a lot of lumps (and in my case, calcifications.) There are so many types of benign lumps. Fibroadenomas are one common type. The fact that they're well-defined is in your favor. Lumps with poor definition or fingers are much more suspicious. Many biopsies turn out benign. The problem is that unless they do a biopsy, they don't know for sure. Did you get a copy of the radiology report? What is your BIRAD rating? The BIRAD rates how suspicious the area is. I agree that waiting is the hardest part!

[JennWA]

So, I went back in for a repeat mammogram and ultrasound.  There were 2 dense areas on the ultrasound, round, 4mm and 8mm.  I was told there were no "calcifications" and that you could "see light behind them," which the radiologist said was a good sign.   She also said they were "well-defined.  They scheduled me for a biopsy in 3 weeks.  How am I going to handle waiting 3 weeks?!?!?!?!  Has anyone else had this?  Here I am sitting here thinking I have Stage III breast cancer because they scheduled a biopsy.  Anyone had a good experience?

[Montana girl 06]

It is fairly common to have get called back on a mammogram. If there is any questionable area they do an US hoping to tell what type of lump or density you have. I hope it turns out benign.

[Montana girl 06]

Cysts are benign, and fluid filled. If that's truly what you have, all is fine. However, they can't usually tell from a mammogram that a lump is a cyst. That's why you need the ultrasound. Often the US can distinguish between different types of lumps. If they're still not sure what it is after US, or if it is suspicious, they'll want a biopsy. Just remember, most lumps are benign.

[lukimi]

I am 47 y/o and just had my yrly mam.  My Dr. called & told me they found a 'cyst' & that I needed to go in for an ultrasound ASAP. Tell me; should I worry. I didn't ask much since I got the call at work & was in between session with clients.

[JennWA]

I'm 35 and just had my baseline mammogram.  I got a call back today from the Breast Center telling me that there was a "dense area at 3:00 and one node was present."  I was told that this is very common and it could be a cyst, or just dense breast tissue, and the node could be that I was just fighting something off, like a cold or something.  I'm going back in Friday for an ultrasound.   Any experience with this?

[Cleveland Clinic]

Dear Judy ro, It is not uncommon to need additional views after a screening mammogram.  Breast tissue can sometimes fold over on itself and cause a shadow (density) to appear.  Spot compression will often eliminate the area of concern.  If the shadow remains, then ultrasound may be done to determine if the area is solid or fluid filled (cystic).  Most of these situations are benign but it's important to follow through to be safe.

[Carmen13]

I too just received this news, but yesterday saw my general practitioner doctor and today my gyno.  Both are recommending an MRI, and both did state that this is normal as we age, I am 43 years old. I too have no history of breast cancer in my family. I too am scared, but do more research,  as I did and learned much information on the treatments and what they can be.  Most of them 80% are simply cysts that are benign.  Good luck to you..

[Montana girl 06]

A dense area could be tissue folding over on itself, or it could be a supsicious area. It's scary to get these callbacks, but at this time there's not enough info to know what it is. It could very well be fine. I hope you're able to get in soon so you can get some answers.