Would a CT scan detect a tumor in the Breast?

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lifetime76
lifetime76 Member Posts: 1
edited August 2018 in Not Diagnosed But Worried

I started having pain on my right side back in June. Its not lower right quadrant pain, or upper. I'd say its more in the middle and radiates to my back. It is sharp and stabbing at times and dull and aching at times. I went to the Dr who ordered a CT scan without contrast. Everything came back normal except they found a spot on my right lung in the middle lobe, about 3mm big and a 9mm lesion on the dome of my liver. They said this is nothing and not causing my pain. They have done all kinds of blood work and it all came back normal. They had no answer to why I am in pain. Fast forward to last week... I go to have my routine mammogram. I was told for the first time during the exam that I have dense breasts. I am 42, so this was my 3rd mammogram. I am not sure if the density is new or this is just their first time letting me know about the density, so I was expecting a call back to have another kind of mammogram done. However, when they called me back they said they detected an abnormality in my right breast and that I needed to come back. So now I am super worried. Everything I have going on is on my right side, but then I tell myself, if I have a tumor in my breast, wouldn't the CT scan have detected it back in June? Anyone in the know care to ease my mind?

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited August 2018

    Hi lifetime76, and welcome to Breastcancer.org,

    According to this page on CT Scans from the main Breastcancer.org site, CT scans are not routinely used to evaluate the breasts. Click the link to the page to read more.

    We hope this helps and that you find answers and relief soon! Keep us posted!

    --The Mods

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  • Rondeezee
    Rondeezee Member Posts: 92
    edited August 2018

    When I was being worked upfor the staging of my BC, I received a full body PET/CT with contrast and my breast tumor showed up.

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  • djmammo
    djmammo Member Posts: 2,939
    edited August 2018

    lifetime76

    Abdomen CT's do not usually scan up high enough to see the breasts. The breasts can be included in a chest CT but even if a lump is seen on CT, the resolution is not high enough to tell what it might be. If it is very small or fatty, it won't be seen at all on a CT.

    If a mass is seen in the breast on an unrelated CT it is included in the report with a recommendation for a mammogram. Have you read the CT report?

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