Just got my ultrasound report - help?!?

tamwise72

I have a biopsy scheduled for Monday, and I'm going insane waiting! After doing a lot of reading on here, I asked for a copy of my report...unfortunately I still don't know what much of this means! Help please?

The previously noted asymmetry in the medial left breast persists on the additional imaging. A 1.6 cm circumscribed oval mass is seen on compression magnification views. Targeted ultrasound of the left breast is performed. At 9:00 there is a 1.5 cm circumscribed, parallel, hypoechoic oval mass. Ultrasound-guided core biopsy metallic localizer clip placement are recommended.

The previously noted asymmetry in the anterior depth of the lateral left breast persists on additional imaging. A 0.5 cm circumscribed oval mass is seen on compression magnification views. However this appears stable as compared ed to the prior 2008 exam. Targeted ultrasound of the left breast at 3:00 demonstrates a benign-appearing 0.6 cm circumscribed, parallel, hypoechoic oval mass. This finding is considered benign given long-term mammographic stability.

Assessment: birads catagory 4: suspicious

Recommendation: biopsy should be performed in the absence of clinical contraindications.

—-So, what impression do y'all get from this?

Tammy

Georgia1

Hi there Tamwise. I'm so sorry you are going through that awful waiting period. One of our most respected members, DJMammo, posted a helpful list of good (reassuring) and bad (scary) words on mammogram and ultrasound reports. I've pasted them below. Please note that oval and circumscribed are "good" words, and the description of the mass on your left breast says "benign appearing" which means "doesn't look like cancer." So please don't panic. They may simply be being cautious. Here's his note:

• "Mammogram and ultrasound reports contain (should contain) a fairly specific vocabulary as recommended by the Birads Lexicon. They have very specific meanings so if used correctly other docs can picture in their mind what the abnormality looks like without seeing the actual images.
  
  I have divided the more common terms into 2 groups GOOD and BAD, good meaning it leans toward the benign side, and bad if leaning toward the malignant side (as no finding is 100%). This in combination with the Birads score should give you a good idea about what the rad is considering if in fact they did not speak directly to you about your results. Below that is a link for a downloadable guide which is more complete.
  
  GOOD: Oval; parallel; circumscribed; anechoic; hyperechoic; isoechoic; posterior enhancement or good through-transmission; avascular; macrocalcifications include pop corn, large rod like, rim, milk-of-calcium.
  
  BAD: Irregular; non-parallel (can also be written as "taller-than-wide"); not-circumscribed margins includes indistinct, angular, microlobulated, and spiculated; hypoechoic; posterior shadowing; architectural distortion; internal vascularity; microcalcifications including amorphous, coarse heterogeneous, branching, fine pleomorphic."

tamwise72

Thank you Georgia1. Yes, I actually read & printed out that list of terms to compare to my report Maybe I am panicking prematurely, it's just the waiting only gives you time to imagine the worst.