debris?

HELLO I AM 34 YEARS OLD ON HRT MOTHER HAD BREAST CANCER @ 28 YEARS OF AGE AND I HAVE INTENSE FIBROCYSTIC ENCANCEMENT TISSUE WITH MULTIPLE SCATTERED CYSTS . MY CONCERN IS I RECENTLY UNDERWENT A MAMMOGRAM THEN AN ULTRASOUND THEN A MRI . THEY SHOWED SOME CYSTS WITH FLUID LEVELS AND SOME WITH DEPENDENT DEBRIS ... WHAT DOES THAT MEAN??? THE AREA OF CONCERN IS A NODULAR ENHANCEMENT OF THE BREAST WHICH IS HYPERDENSE CLOSE TO THE CHEST WALL 1 CM IN SIZE ... THEY STATED THAT I COULD HAVE A NUCLEAR SCAN .. I HAD A BONE SCAN 4 MONTHS AGO THAT SHOWED ACTIVITY TO THE BREAST AREA .. WHAT SHOULD I DO???? THEY NOW WANT ME TO WAIT 6 MONTHS AND HAVE THIS DONE AGAIN .. MEANWHILE I HAVE NOT HAD ANYONE EXAMINE THE BREAST OR EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT ALL OF THIS MEANS ... HELP PLEASE ... SHOULD I BE CONCERNED ... WHAT IS DEBRIS .... THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP

[CCF-RN,MSN-JS]

Dear Skittles, With having fibrocystic breast, and these cysts would make picking up a lump on self-breast or physical exam tricky.  This is most likely why such a variety of tests have been performed.  An ultrasound is used to distinguish between a solid and a fluid filled structure.  A mammogram is an X-ray used to look for abnormal areas of breast tissue, this shows up as a pattern of microcalcifications.  In younger women there is less fat and more breast tissue which may make finding differences difficult on mammogram.  A MRI uses magnetic imaging to pick up differences in tissue which may show a structure that looks different from normal breast tissue.  Debris is a term they may have used to try to describe particles found that are not fluid in the cysts.  They may be talking about a PET scan when they talk about a nuclear scan (rather than a bone scan). A PET scan looks at how much and how fast glucose is used by a tissue and creates an image of this.  All of our bodies tissues need glucose as fuel to survive.  Cancers are rapidly growing so they use more glucose than normal body tissue. So what is looked at if there may be an increase in activity than the normal breast tissue.

All of these tests are ultimately gathering information as whether or not a biopsy should be performed.  A biopsy or taking a sample of fluid from the cyst or tissue from the suspicious area and examining it under  the microscope will be the only way to determine for sure if this a cancer or not.

Before electing to wait the 6 months have a discussion with the physician who is ordering the tests so that you are better informed as to what and why these tests are being done.  Or perhaps you might be more comfortable getting another opinion from a physician who specializes in breast disease.

[skittles]

can debris be the begining of something bad ...

[katiegammage]

A related discussion, diliated duct with debris in right breast what does this mean was started.