Breast Care
Breast Ultrasound
Screening Breast Ultrasound
Screening Breast Ultrasound (SBU) uses sound waves instead of X-ray technology to scan the entire breast. It’s an imaging technology that can detect some cancers that aren’t visible on a mammogram, especially if the breast tissue is dense. SBU does not replace 3D mammography; rather, it’s a complementary imaging procedure that provides additional information to further evaluate breast health and can be an additional option for select patients.
Diagnostic Breast Ultrasound
Diagnostic breast ultrasound is often used to evaluate specific areas of concern that are ‘palpable’ (can be felt), such as a breast lump, or anything identified on a mammogram that requires further study. Breast ultrasound is an imaging technology often used in combination with diagnostic mammography. While mammography images evaluate the entire breast, ultrasound images can provide more information on a specific area.
Frequently Asked Questions
- You may be recommended to have a breast ultrasound from your doctor or Windsong if:
You have dense breast tissue – Sometimes, when a mammogram is performed at our facility, our breast radiologists may recommend for you to have an additional layer of testing such as a breast ultrasound. - You are pregnant – Mammography uses radiation, but ultrasound does not. This makes it safer for the fetus.
- You are younger than age 25
Breast Ultrasound is used for women with a specific breast concern, such as a lump felt by the patient or physician, or for anything found on a mammogram that requires further study.
A mammography-certified, female technologist will perform your exam and explain the procedure before getting started. After you check in, you will be shown to a private dressing room where you will undress from the waist up and put on a gown that opens in the front. During your ultrasound procedure, the technologist will ask you to lie down on a table and position you for the exam. She will then apply a hypoallergenic, water-soluble gel to your breast to prevent air from getting between the ultrasound source and your skin. A small probe will be passed over the surface of your breast, producing a painless sensation of light pressure on your skin. A picture of the breast tissue will be seen on the ultrasound screen. The scan generally takes 15-30 minutes.
Breast Ultrasound requires a physician referral.
Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.
If you’ve had prior mammograms, breast ultrasounds or breast MRIs at a facility other than Windsong, you will be asked to provide contact information for the center so we can obtain these records before your scheduled appointment. Having prior records helps our Radiologists to identify any changes over time.
Please be ready to discuss medical history at your appointment, including prior surgeries, hormone use, and family or personal history of breast cancer.
Wear two-piece clothing so that you only have to remove your top and bra for the exam.
If the exam is diagnostic, then one of our radiologists subspecialized in mammography will review your images with you and provide appropriate recommendations. If the exam is screening, then you will receive results in approx. 48 hours through the Patient Portal.
Visit our Locations page for more information. Imaging modalities and associated studies vary by location. Please contact us to schedule your visit at a convenient location near you.
Request an appointment online or contact us at 716-631-2500.
To aid in early detection, Gov. Andrew Cuomo signed the New York Breast Law that went into effect on January 1, 2017. The new legislative agreement eliminates cost-sharing for diagnostic imaging for breast cancer, including diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasounds, and breast MRIs for women at high risk for breast cancer. As a result, many women in need of tests other than standard mammograms will not have to pay any additional out-of-pocket expenses for these most common diagnostic tests.
Please note that this legislation only applies to strictly NYS based insurance plans and not plans that are based out of other states. Also, it currently does not apply to Medicare. Please contact your health insurance plan to find out your out-of-pocket financial responsibility.
