Asymmetrical Focal Density

Daring_Bravely

Hi Everyone,

I have had a screening & diagnostic mammograms & am scheduled for an ultrasound on July 14th.

I have density on the lower side of my right breast. Curious about other women's experiences in which density was initially found. I'm interested in both benign and cancerous stories.

I find the more I know/share, the less I seem to worry. July 14th can't come soon enough

ChiSandy

Mine was termed a “focal asymmetry in the R breast, not present on prior mammograms, BIRADS 0” (which means they can’t say what it is without further imaging). It was discovered last year via my routine annual screening mammo, and I got the message in my patient portal inbox the morning after my mammo. My gyne then called me and said to make an appt. for a spot compression diagnostic mammo and possible followup ultrasound, cautioning me that often these things can be just motion artifacts, shadows or even folded breast tissue. First appt. I could get was a week later. First, I had the mammo and was sent, in my pink smock and given a pink robe to wear over it, to the waiting area for the radiologist to read it. Then the tech came in and said the radiologist wanted to do an ultrasound. When she (the radiologist) told me to look at the monitor, I knew it wasn’t a good sign. She demonstrated that the little Jelly-Belly-sized and shaped blob wouldn’t compress when squashed with the probe, so I knew it couldn’t be a cyst. She termed it BIRADS 4 and recommended a core-needle biopsy, which I had a couple of weeks later, and I got my diagnosis the next night.

Several (reassuring) caveats: first, a spot compression diagnostic mammo might reveal a false alarm. If not, the ultrasound might possibly rule out anything suspicious for malignancy. Finally, even if a biopsy is necessary, 80% turn out benign.

Daring_Bravely

Thank you for your reply ChiSandy ~ I feel positive, especially since 80% turn out to be benign. I'm not sure how it works here, but I hope that I know something soon after the ultrasound