Contacts
Contacts
Can silicone harm the mammogram exam?
Currently, the equipment used for mammography exams provide greater precision, but sometimes the silicone prosthesis can interfere with the exam, making it difficult to visualize tumors.
Anyone who has a prosthesis should notify the radiologist, so that he knows how to position the breast correctly on the equipment and to exert less pressure on the breast. There are maneuvers that increase the field of view on mammography. The first part of the exam is the same and, in the second, the technician pushes the prosthesis and compresses only the breast tissue (Eklund Maneuver).
In cases where the result presents a doubtful diagnosis, the patient can undergo another detection test through ultrasound or magnetic resonance
What is BI-RADS classification?
The term BI-RADS is an acronym for Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System, in other words, it is an international systematization for breast evaluation, examination interpretation and preparation of imaging exam reports specifically for the breast. This classification should be applied in mammography, breast ultrasound and breast magnetic resonance imaging reports and ensures greater reliability of the examination.
The BI-RADS is a standardization manual that allows analyzing the characteristics of breast lesions (cysts, nodules, calcifications) and estimating the risk of being breast cancer. We have already taken the opportunity to emphasize that most breast nodules and microcalcifications are benign, that is, the presence itself of nodules or microcalcifications does not mean at all that the patient has breast cancer.
From the images, the radiologist classifies the changes according to the BI-RADS system, on a scale from 1 to 6, determining the risk and recommendations:
BI-RADS 0 - Inconclusive result. It needs new mammographic images or other exams, such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance.
BI-RADS 1 - No changes in the breasts were found. Next exam can be done in 1 year.
BI-RADS 2 - Changes with benign radiological characteristics were found. Next exam can be done in 1 year.
BI-RADS 3 - Probably benign change. Follow up every 6 months required.
BI-RADS 4 - Suspected malignancy. Requires biopsy for confirmation. Subdivided into: A (low suspicion) | B (medium suspicion) | C (high suspicion).
BI-RADS 5 - High suspicion of malignancy. Requires biopsy for confirmation.
BI-RADS 6 - Common result in tests performed during the preoperative treatment of an already diagnosed breast cancer. Required for patient follow-up.
How is metastasis tracking done?
Complementary exams in the area of oncology are indicated for the detection of relapses, therapeutic control and screening in risk groups. The tests used to diagnose and stage cancer are:
Chest X-ray. A chest x-ray is taken to diagnose whether the disease has spread to the lungs.
Bone Scintigraphy. This test can show whether the disease has spread to the bones. The test can show all the bones in the body at the same time and can diagnose small areas of spread of the disease.
Computed tomography. It is an imaging diagnostic technique that uses X radiation to visualize small slices of body regions by rotating the X-ray tube around the patient. It is the most used test to visualize the areas of the chest and/or abdomen to diagnose the spread of breast cancer to other organs.
Magnetic Resonance. It is an image diagnosis method, which uses electromagnetic waves to form images.
Ultrasound. Unlike most diagnostic imaging tests, ultrasound is a technique that does not use ionizing radiation for image formation. It uses sound waves of frequency above the audible threshold for humans, which produce real-time images of organs and tissues in the body.
Blood tumor markers, such as CA15-3, are also useful for monitoring the patient after treatment, but of little value for screening for metastases
Positron Emission Tomography (PET). Glucose molecules, which are pure energy, are labeled by a radioisotope and injected into patients. As tumor cells are hungry for energy from glucose, this will be concentrated on cancer cells, in which cell metabolism is more intense. A few minutes after the administration of glucose, it is possible to map the patient's body, detecting, point by point, the concentration of the radiopharmaceutical in the body.
Sorocaba Medical Center
Botafogo
Rua Sorocaba, 464 - room 202
Tel. 21 2537-0138 / 2539-5093
Second fourth it's Friday
Barra da Tijuca
Av. Jorge Curi, 550 - rooms 252/253
Tel. 21 3264-4866 / 3264-4863
Tuesday and Thursday
