BIRADS 3 but sending me for a biopsy?!

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SMV
SMV Member Posts: 30
edited January 2015 in Waiting for Test Results

Here is the rundown:

I went for a mammogram, then they sent me for a magnified mammogram. The findings were "there are multiple similar groups of amorphous or indistinct, layering and punctuate calcifications with grouped distribution seen in the left breast" they also noted that I have heterogenerously dense breasts. They gave me a score of BIRADS 3. Which is considered probably benign with a follow up in 6 months.

Well they send me for an ultrasound (I'm assuming because I have dense breasts and they don't want to miss anything). They tell me I have a 3cm cyst on my left breast a 3oclock.....which I'm assuming they saw on the mammo and I figured they would be able to tell what type it is by the ultrasound. Well THEN they send me for a targeted ultrasound which hones in on the concerned area. Which is the the cyst at 3oclock.

At the regular ultrasound the tech did her thing, and when she was done, they told me to get dressed I'm all set and they sent me home. At the targeted ultrasound they did their thing, finished up and the tech says "okay sit tight, I'm going to send the radiologist the images". So I lay on the table waiting. The technician then gets a message from the radiologist saying she'll be in in a minute. Next thing I know the radiologist is in the room doing the ultrasound looking at the images herself. She says she found 2 cysts. One at 10 o'clock and the other at 3 o'clock which is the original one they were looking at. The radiologist said that they weren't as concerned with the 10 o'clock one, they were just going to follow up with that at my next appointment in 6 months to make sure there's no changes. She said however the one at 3 o'clock they did see the calcifications which match up to what the mammogram noted and there is also a very small mass within the cyst. The radiologist asked me if I had surgery on my breast. Answer is no. She then asked me if I had bruised my breast. Answer is no. She says "ok well we recommend you go for a biopsy" So they are sending me for a biopsy and I don't know which one they are more concerned about at this point the mass or the calcifications.

But isn't it odd to send someone for a biopsy when they have a BIRADS 3?? Is it possible for the BIRADS to have changed after having the ultrasound?

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  • ballet12
    ballet12 Member Posts: 981
    edited January 2015

    Usually, they do change the BIRADS score if they see something of greater concern...or if they decide to biopsy an area that was a essentially a BIRADS 3.  I had that happen.  The radiologist was, apparently, on the fence about biopsy (as I heard later from my surgeon), and the piece of paper they handed me said to come back in 6 months for follow-up.  There was no BIRADS score written on it, but this wasn't the official report.  I was just walking with the piece of paper from one end of the building to the other, to my surgeon's office for follow-up of the DCIS in the other breast.  The surgeon said, after contacting the radiologist, that she  recommended biopsy. So, I went along with it.  The official radiology report said BIRADS 4.  In order to justify doing the biopsy it went from what would have been BIRADS 3 to BIRADS 4, and thankfully (and not surprisingly) it was benign. I hope yours turns out well.

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  • Moderators
    Moderators Member Posts: 25,912
    edited January 2015

    SMV-

    First off, we want to welcome you to our community here at BCO. We're sorry for the worry that brings you here, but we're very glad you've found us.

    It is certainly possible for the BIRADS score to change after further diagnostic testing that gave them a better look at the mass. Also, BIRADS 4 is usually when a biopsy is encouraged, so it's possible that given the slight difference in the original score they gave you, the radiologist feels that a biopsy isn't out of the question. This infographic explains a little more about BIRADs scoring and the criteria: http://www.breastcancer.org/symptoms/testing/types....

    It's important to remember that just because the radiologist wants you to have a biopsy, doesn't mean you have cancer. The odds are still in your favor! Try to stay positive. Please keep us updated, and let us know how you're doing!

    The Mods

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  • SMV
    SMV Member Posts: 30
    edited January 2015

    I have my eval with the breast surgeon on Wednesday, so I will be picking up my images on Monday. Hopefully the report will be included and will tell me what it's been changed to :)

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