Can annual screenings include ultrasound?

If you have dense breasts, various states have now required that radiologists need to indicate if you have extremely dense breasts.  That should be a reason for your primary care provider to request ultrasound on annual screenings, which is better at seeing solid masses in individuals with dense breasts.  If you are in one of those states, I think it should be covered by insurance. I routinely ask for sonograms and the insurance does seem to be paying for it.  I am from New York State, which did pass that legislation.  I should state that my mammos and sonos are now considered "diagnostic" because I have a diagnosis of DCIS, but I also used the diagnosis of atypical ductal and lobular hyperplasia before, which got me the "diagnostic" mammo and sono for many years.  I didn't actually find sonos to be that helpful to me in the past, but now, I'm asking for them, especially since I won't be having MRI's.

Because I had a family history of BC, plus extremely dense, fibrocystic breasts, I always requested an ultrasound along with my annual mammogram.

Every year, it was denied, because "Ultrasound is not considered a screening tool."

Well, I got plenty of ultrasounds after my left nipple started bleeding, and guess what - there was the IDC, hiding next to the DCIS, which the mammogram I'd had a few months previously had completely missed. And the tumors were so small I never would have felt them.

Had I not had the bleeding, who knows how long it would have take to find the cancer?

I firmly believe it should be the added step with anyone at high risk.

awb--Wish I could also get routine MRI's, but I won't be getting them.  They were only given after I received the DCIS dx (prior to re-excision) They found something on the other breast which they were following, but the second facility ultimately deemed it was benign (after 6 month follow-up).  The first facility wanted to biopsy it. I guess my treating facility is concerned about chasing lots of false positives.

Blessings--I've got the family hx of bc and the extremely dense breasts, and now the DCIS, and still won't be getting routine screening MRI, so I am insisting on the sonos, which I will be getting. No difficulty obtaining that, but I had to ask for it. I'll inquire as to what the official position is at my esteemed NCI-designated Cancer facility, as to why the MRI's aren't routine. It seems that individuals with high risk conditions (not at my facility) get more screening than I do.  Hopefully, I'm no longer high risk.

I have a diagnostic mammo and ultrasound at LEAST once a year. My ins pays for it. Very dense breasts with breast issue history here.