Ultrasound after MIR?

[DrHook]

I had an abnormal mammo back in February.  Went for additional pics and right breast ultrasound in early March.  Found 1 4mm what appeared to be lymph node and gyn referred me to breast surgeon.  Surgeon sent me for bilateral MRI last week.  Results were - Right breast - actually two 4mm lymph nodes or fibroadenomas with follow-up mammo in 6 mos.  BUT left breast found 7-8mm just above nipple with slightly ill-defined margins - the surgeon is sending me back for a left breast ulstrasound in three weeks - more waiting.

My question is - what does the ultrasound show that the MRI doesn't?

Thanks,
Tracy

[DrHook]

MRI Report - given 18 mL gadolinium contrast intravenously -

"Left breast:  In the anterior superficial aspect of the left breast, just medial and superior to the nipple, there is a 7-8mm focal area of increased T2 signal with slightly ill-defined margins.  There is no correlative mass-type lesion identified on the T1-weighted images prior to gadolinium.  Following gadolinium, this nodular area does demonstrate prompt enhancement but demonstrates no significant washout.  The enhancement curve is plateau-type of curves.  Again this woud suggest a benign etiology such as a possible fibroadenoma.  There is no correlative mammographic finding on the screening study from 2/21/08.  The margins, however, are somewhat less defined than these two smaller lesions seen on the right side.  No other abnormal areas of enhancement are seen within the left breast.

IMPRESSION:  Abnormal enhancing nodule in the left superficial retroareolar region just above the nipple with a benign enhancement curve but somewhat ill-defined margins.  This lesion is considered to be more indeterminate.  SInce there was initially no diagnostic work-up on the left side and there is no obvious mammographic correlate on the screening study, an ultrasound of the left retroareolar breast in this location may be of further benefit."

Breast surgeon says let's do the ultrasound.  Just scared.....no bc history in my family.

Right breast has two 4 mm very clean and smooth nodules - look like kidney beans - that they ar saysing are either intramammary lymph nodes or possibly small fibroadenomas with a six month follow up - which at this point will be August.

Thanks,
Tracy

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Could you post the exact ultrasound and MRI report to us?

And also update us on what your doctor / breast specialist has advised.

Regards.

[DrHook]

On the MRI - prior to contrast nothing was detected - this showed up after they injected the contrast - is that a good or bad sign?  I was reading up on Breast MRI's from what I could tell it seemed that it would detect a cyst and know that is what it was - in the report it doesn't specify what it is?  Just ill-defined margins.....

I was completely expecting to be done with this yesterday not to get additional problems......

Thanks for the help.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

An ultrasound uses ultrasonic waves that are reverberated from the breast tissue to find out the density of the lesion. A lesion with the same density as breast tissue is called isoechoic.

An ultrasound is generally used to identify a solid lesion from a cystic one.

Let us know if you have any more doubts.

Regards.

[japdip]

Ultrasound can differentiate between a cyst and some other type of abnormality. Every test can see something different.