Breast cancer is increasingly becoming a threat to the health in women of all ages. It is well known that the earlier it is detected, the better the outlook will be for the patient. Mammography has long been the gold standard in breast cancer screening, however it has it’s drawbacks. MRI is also an effective tool in diagnostic imaging for breast cancer, but it is an expensive and time consuming modality. Sonography is becoming an invaluable tool in breast health and in certain cases, can make a massive difference in breast cancer diagnoses.
I present the case of a woman in her early 70’s whose annual mammogram missed cancer in her left breast. Her clinical data includes: her age, no pregnancies, early menses, late menopause, and she reported no palpable lumps or complaints. The findings on this …show more content…
This cancer originates in the ducts, invades the fatty tissue surrounding the ducts and easily metastasizes via the lymph nodes and blood stream. This makes early detection a high priority to ensure the best prognosis possible. In this case, an annual mammogram failed to detect what was easily seen on MRI and sonography. While mammography is the universal screening tool for breast cancer, it has it’s limitations. There is less of a range in tissue appearances on mammograms and there is always a concern for radiation exposure when x -rays are used. The American Cancer Society has stated that screening mammograms miss around 1 in 5 breast cancers. Possible factors that could contribute to false-negative mammogram screenings include dense breasts, poor positioning or technique, perception error, incorrect interpretation of suspicious findings, subtle malignant features and slow growth of a lesion. This patient had unusually dense breast tissue for her age and that is the likely reason cancer in the left breast was missed on her mammography
I present the case of a woman in her early 70’s whose annual mammogram missed cancer in her left breast. Her clinical data includes: her age, no pregnancies, early menses, late menopause, and she reported no palpable lumps or complaints. The findings on this …show more content…
This cancer originates in the ducts, invades the fatty tissue surrounding the ducts and easily metastasizes via the lymph nodes and blood stream. This makes early detection a high priority to ensure the best prognosis possible. In this case, an annual mammogram failed to detect what was easily seen on MRI and sonography. While mammography is the universal screening tool for breast cancer, it has it’s limitations. There is less of a range in tissue appearances on mammograms and there is always a concern for radiation exposure when x -rays are used. The American Cancer Society has stated that screening mammograms miss around 1 in 5 breast cancers. Possible factors that could contribute to false-negative mammogram screenings include dense breasts, poor positioning or technique, perception error, incorrect interpretation of suspicious findings, subtle malignant features and slow growth of a lesion. This patient had unusually dense breast tissue for her age and that is the likely reason cancer in the left breast was missed on her mammography