Biopsy not necessary after missed mammogram

April 11, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I’m 56 and missed my last mammogram so now my doctor wants me to get extra tests and hinted at having a possible biopsy. He says it doesn’t hurt but I fear that the site will open up any bleeding inside, causing the potential cancer to spread into my bloodstream and the rest of my body. Can you give me any advice?

DEAR READER: I’m unclear of your situation. Was your last mammogram a routine screening or are you being monitored because of a breast lesion?

In the case of a routine screening, further testing and biopsy are not standard, even if the appointment was missed, unless an area of concern appears. If you have a known lesion that is being monitored, further testing — to include an ultrasound and biopsy – are common in cases where the [Read more...]

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Are breast thermograms better?

March 21, 2012 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I would like to know if breast thermograms are as reliable as mammograms in detecting cancer.

DEAR READER: Thermography utilizes an infrared camera to produce images that reveal a pattern of heat and blood flow on or near the surfaces of the body. The process is painless, non-invasive and relatively inexpensive. Although the FDA gave safety approval in 2004, in June 2011 it issued a safety communication notifying consumers that thermography is not a replacement for screening mammography and that on its own is not an effective screening tool. Proponents feel the procedure can detect precancerous inflammatory changes and cancerous tumors up to 10 years earlier than routine mammography. Despite the accolades of some and the fact that the process has been used for almost 50 years, it has never been accepted as clinically useful by many medical professionals, [Read more...]

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If concerns remain, get a second opinion

October 10, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I had a mammogram and they said they saw a nodule and called me back in to do more views. They said without doing an ultrasound, it was a lymph node and that I don’t have to go back for a year. Does this sound normal?

DEAR READER: Unfortunately, you failed to tell me your age because the guidelines for mammography have changed, depending on the source you rely upon. Other important issues include your family history, breast density, use of birth control pills, and more. I will generalize and hopefully will answer your question.
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Digital vs. traditional mammography

April 28, 2011 By

DEAR DR. GOTT: I am a 74-year-old female retired radiologic technologist due for my annual screening mammogram in another month. My only significant breast history is the presence of a tiny cyst diagnosed on one side two years ago. Last year, my screening mammogram was normal.

Which is better/more accurate for me to have — the digital mammogram or the long-used film-screen mammogram, and why? An assumption is made here that either study is performed and interpreted in the most skilled manner utilizing top-of-the-line equipment.
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