Rochester Regional Health is the only provider in the Rochester region to offer ABUS. Used in addition to a mammogram, ABUS is an innovative breast cancer screening exam for women with dense breast tissue.
This state-of-the-art automated ultrasound technology uses high-frequency sound waves instead of x-ray to analyze breast tissue, allowing our radiologists to detect abnormalities that were not initially detected on a mammogram, and differentiate between a solid mass (tumor) and a liquid mass (cyst).
Benefits: No radiation is used. Reveals abnormalities hidden by dense breast tissue, improving breast cancer detection by 37.5% over mammography alone.
Risks: Meant to be used as a complement to mammography. More likely to produce false positives (non-cancerous findings).
With ultrasound technology, there is no exposure to ionizing radiation. Instead, ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves to create a detailed image of the breast or other organs/tissues being examined. The ease of use, comfort and non-ionizing characteristics of ultrasound make it an attractive option to complement mammography as a form of breast imaging. Breast ultrasound does require a script or order from your physician.
Breast tissue consists of fatty and fibroglandular tissue. If more than 50% of your breast is composed of fibroglandular tissue, then your breasts are classified as “dense”. The density of your breast tissue may change over time as you progress through normal hormonal changes. 46% of women in the United States have dense breast tissue.
The sensitivity of mammography is significantly diminished in women with dense breast tissue. In addition, there is up to two times higher risk of developing breast cancer in women with dense breast tissue. Supplemental imaging, like a 3D Automated Breast Ultrasound, complements mammography, increasing the cancer detection rate by 55% when compared to mammography alone.
