What kind of lump doesn't appear on mammogram, ultrasound, or breast mri?

[Nachez1]

About January I had mild aches in my right breast, finally in March I went for a mammogram and was told there was nothing wrong, but that I have dense breast tissue.

Then in May I found a lump and went back to my doctor and she felt the lump and sent me for another mammogram and ultrasound, and again was told nothing but dense breast tissue. My doctor said she wanted to see me back in 8 weeks.

After 4 weeks I started to have more pain and I received a letter from the imaging place that I was told to get a breast mri and they don't show I did this yet.....I was not told this by anyone....so I went back to the doctor and she sent me for a breast mri, which 2 weeks later I still haven't gotten the final report, but the imaging place called me and said they were waiting for my 2 mammograms to compare and there was nothing bad they just wanted to compare.

My doctor office then called and told me the same thing but added no malignancies were found, so I asked now what? She said the doctor may send me for a 3D mammogram, and I asked why we can't just cut to the chase and biopsy the lump and she said she'd cross that bridge if we get there.

So I am confused how there can be a physical lump I can feel, my doctor can feel, the mammogram tech could feel.....and one that causes me pain, and now sometimes in the night, but yet not show on 2 mammograms, ultrasound, and mri.....is 3D mammogram better than an mri? Should I go to a different doctor?

[zouzi]

Hi,
Please don't jump to any conclusion...the fact that this lump is painful it’s a good sign since a malignant tumor is almost always painless. Also a palpable lump that doesn’t show on Radiology does not make it cancerous or increase the chances of it being cancerous. However, I think you should be pressing to have a biopsy if also your upcoming 3D Mammogram is inconclusive. If the lump can be felt and it's a cyst, a needle biopsy FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration) will make it collapse and no further treatment will be necessary. If the lump is solid, the needle can sample it so that the cells extracted can be examined by a pathologist .In my opinion if there is a breast lump, it really doesn't matter what mammogram, ultrasound or other tests show. A lump is a lump and needs to be either carefully watched, if you and your Doctor are comfortable with that approach, or have this palpable lump biopsied. I would advise you to consult a Breast Specialist who can focus exclusively on your breast health and make appropriate recommendations.
Best wishes..

[Nachez1]

Thank you zouzi for the response, I keep telling myself the fact there is pain is good (which sounds weird I know), but the fact that there is pain is why I don't want to just wait and watch which is what the ultrasound person told me to do. So I am going to pick up my mri results myself and was thinking of finding a breast specialist and and like you say focus on this and take care of it one way or the other, just weird it doesn't show up so not sure how dense my tissue is but it must be hiding this lump good. :/
I don't want to be a pain to my doctor, but I also don't want to ignore this either.