Our breast cancer diagnostic professionals use the most advanced tests
to determine the specifics of the type of cancer to determine therapy
and treatment protocols that are the best course of action.
3D Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
3D magnetic resonance imaging of the breast provides excellent information
about lesions, normal and malignant tissues. An MRI uses magnetic fields,
not x-rays, to produce detailed images of the body. A contrast medium
(a special dye) is injected into a patient’s vein or given orally
(by mouth) to create a clearer picture of the breast. A breast MRI may
be used once a patient has been diagnosed with cancer to check the other
breast for cancer or to find out how much the disease has grown throughout
the breast.
3D Mammography
Mammograms can find small tumors or irregularities in the breast. The latest
3D mammography provides more accurate breast cancer screenings for dense
and non-dense breasts. A Genius™ 3D exam allows the doctor to view
each layer of the breast like the pages of a book with fine details more
visible and no longer hidden by tissue above or below.
Genetic and molecular tests have the potential to not only provide patients
with personalized diagnostic information, but also allow for specifically
tailored treatment plans, thus limiting resistance and toxicity. They
also supply prognostic information about cancer in its initial stages,
thereby determining whether aggressive, early management is necessary.
High Resolution Sonography
Sonography is an imaging method that uses sound waves to look inside a
part of the body. In the most common version of this test, a small, microphone-like
instrument called a transducer is placed on the skin, emits sound waves
and picks up the echoes as they bounce off body tissues. The echoes are
converted into an image on a computer screen. A sonogram helps distinguish
normal findings like cysts or fat lobules from suspicious breast changes
that need biopsy.
Image-guided Stereotactic Biopsy
This procedure removes several large cores of sample tissue. Local anesthesia
is used to reduce discomfort. This biopsy is done when a distinct lump
cannot be felt, but an abnormality is seen with an imaging test, such
as on a mammogram. During this procedure, a needle is guided to the best
location with the help of 3D stereotactic imaging technology. A small
metal clip may be put into the breast to mark where the biopsy sample
was taken in case the tissue is cancerous and more surgery is needed.
An image-guided biopsy can be done using a fine needle, core needle, or
vacuum-assisted biopsy, depending on the amount of tissue that needs to
be removed.
Surgical biopsy removes the largest amount of tissue. A surgical biopsy
may be incisional (removes part of the lump) or excisional (removes the
entire lump). Most often, non-surgical core biopsies are recommended to
diagnose breast cancer. This means that only one surgical procedure is
needed to remove the tumor and to take samples of the lymph nodes.
A pathologist studies the removed tissue and can tell which area of the
breast the cancer started in (ductal or lobular), whether the tumor has
spread outside this area (invasive or in situ), and how different the
cancer cells look from healthy breast cells (the grade). If the tumor
was removed, the margins (edges of the tumor) will also be examined to
see if cancer cells are present and to measure their distance from the
tumor. Laboratory tests on the tumor sample help identify specific genes,
proteins, and other factors unique to the tumor and determine the most
effective treatment options.
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