Breast ultrasound - not less common diagnostic procedure used in cases of suspected disease, some breast than mammography. Compared with some other medical imaging techniques, such as computer and magnetic resonance imaging, it is inexpensive, and the equipment to carry it out there in most clinics and hospitals.

Mammography and breast ultrasound

Mammography - X-ray examination is breast cancer, that is, during this procedure the human body is exposed to potentially harmful radiation. However, the radiation dose is small, and this danger is rarely taken into account when choosing between mammography Mammography - protection against breast cancer   and ultrasound. A more important factor is that the US is better suited for breast examination in women under the age of 30-35 years: they have more breast tissue is very dense, and it is difficult to diagnose using mammography.

In addition, breast ultrasound in pregnancy is usually preferable to mammography, because pregnant women are best avoided if possible, radiographic studies.

Ultrasound has another important advantage: it allows you to explore areas of the breast that are close to the chest, which is often hard to see on a mammogram.

When doing breast ultrasound

Breast ultrasound may be necessary if the patient is found in his chest seal when she complains of symptoms such as pain, swelling and redness of the breast skin, if it appeared allocation Discharges in women when there is cause for concern   from the nipple. In addition, ultrasound is used for biopsy and aspiration Aspiration: the main thing - do not get confused   cyst in the breast to monitor the growth and dobrokachesvennyh malignancies.

In some cases, it may be carried out, and breast ultrasound in men. Such diagnostic procedures may be required for gynecomastia Gynecomastia - known since ancient times And a suspected benign or cancerous tumor in men who only rarely, but there.

Breast ultrasound when feeding is not contraindicated - This procedure does not affect either the mother or the child.

Preparation for breast ultrasound

Holding ultrasound does not require the patient a preparation, for example, rejection of certain drugs. The only limitation - a procedure is not carried out in the presence of open wounds on his chest: in such cases it is better to wait until the wound will heal at least a little.

Going to a breast ultrasound, wear clothing that will be easy to remove and put on.

How is breast ultrasound

US carries out specialist ultrasound. Before the start of the survey asking the patient to undress from the waist up and remove the ornaments from the neck. Gel is applied on the chest, which facilitates the movement of the transmitter and the passage of sound waves. The procedure lasts an average of fifteen minutes to half an hour, but if at the same time with the US will be a biopsy, it may take longer.

The doctor may ask the patient to wait until he once again view your images - in case he needs to re-examine some parts of the breast.

What does breast ultrasound

On the results of the patient survey reported by one or two days, and sometimes just the last ultrasound.

Cyst of breast cancer in the US usually looks like a dark circle or oval with clearly defined boundaries. Typically, the image can be determined than the cavity within which is contained a liquid. In such cases, you may need to aspirate the cyst: the doctor pierces the cyst with a thin needle, pump out the contents and send it to a lab for tests.

Fibroadenoma usually looks oval, and may have a few rough edges.

Breast cancer look like an ultrasound neoplasm round, oval or irregularly shaped and contoured edges it is usually less pronounced than in benign tumors. If ultrasound results suggest that a cancer patient, it is directed to additional diagnostic procedures, most often - a biopsy.

False gynecomastia - breast enlargement in men with obesity. Typically, the disease is not associated with hormonal disorders, but sometimes false gynecomastia may occur in the redistribution of fat under the influence of hormones. Often, these are mixed gynecomastia - a true-false or with a predominance of fat or glandular and connective tissue.

Why develop a false gynecomastia

False gynecomastia develops when excessive deposition of fat in the breast. This situation usually occurs in obesity. But it would be wrong to assume that the hormones are not involved in the formation of false gynecomastia, as the fat cells secrete the female sex hormone estrogen. If the fat cells more than normal, it is estrogen and overweight. Under the influence of estrogen may be a redistribution of fat on the female type with the deposition of it on the thighs, buttocks, and in the breast.

There is another option of false gynecomastia. For example, when a tumor of the hypothalamus or pituitary hormones glucocorticoid hormone imbalance develops which leads to increased formation of fat and its distribution on the female type.

Participation in the formation of false gynecomastia hormones leads to the fact that purely false gynecomastia is quite rare, occurs more frequently mixed with a predominance of gynecomastia or adipose tissue (false gynecomastia), or connective tissue proliferation and milk ducts (true gynecomastia).

Feature false gynecomastia is that after weight loss, it is often not disappear. This is due to the fact that the fat accumulates between fibrous layers and it is not so easy to remove therefrom.

How does a false gynecomastia

Manifested false gynecomastia increase in the volume of the breasts in men. The mammary glands may be the same size or one of them larger than the other (which happens often). On palpation of the breast is soft, painless. There is also a ptosis (ptosis) nipple-areola complex.

If gynecomastia is mixed, if the fat is not much can be felt under the nipple seal, more or less fused with the surrounding tissues. Soreness seal shows diffuse changes in the mammary gland. If the seal is revealed clearly separated from the surrounding tissues and painless, it speaks about nodular gynecomastia. But more often when a large amount of fat is not possible to test the seal.

Diagnostics

At first glance, the false diagnosis of gynecomastia easy - just by eye to determine the presence of obese patients. But it is not. The main challenge in the diagnosis of the disease is to eliminate the serious diseases that could lead to the development of obesity and breast enlargement. This is primarily a tumor and the effects of an illness (injury) in the hypothalamus and pituitary gland.

Therefore, patients who have been found false gynecomastia, you want to explore. To eliminate breast cancer Breast cancer: what every woman needs to know   enough of ultrasound (US). Also examined the blood on hormones. In identifying pathology conducted other diagnostic methods to detect pathology in the brain.

Treatment

False gynecomastia Gynecomastia - known since ancient times That appeared in the background of obesity revealed no hormonal disorders Hormonal disorders - oversupply and a lack of equally dangerous Begin to be treated conservatively with the help of a specially selected diet and regular exercise. Assign also gymnastics - exercises that reduce fat in the breast.

Unfortunately, even after normalization of the body weight increase in mammary gland often remains. In most cases, this is purely a cosmetic defect, and does not threaten the health of the patient. But cosmetic defect does not suit many men. In this case, comes to the aid of Plastic Surgery.

To remove fat from the area of ​​the breast used liposuction - sucking out the fat with the help of special equipment. But sometimes completely remove the fat by liposuction is impossible, especially with mixed types of gynecomastia. In this case, resorting to surgery mastectomy - removal of the breast preserving the nipple and areola. In some cases it is necessary to clean and "extra" skin if the breast is large enough. The operation is also accompanied by the rise of squalid nipple-areola complex.

False gynecomastia should be identified, and the patient is completely examined. In the future, at the request of the patient possible surgical correction of breast cancer.

Galina Romanenko