Breast Exams

Examining your breasts regularly is an important part of your wellness routine, but it won’t identify breast cancer’s earliest stages. At her practice, board-certified OB/GYN Dee L. Hubbard, MD, in Catonsville, Maryland, performs clinical breast exams and referrals for advanced diagnostic imaging, including mammograms and breast ultrasound. Call Dr. Hubbard’s office to schedule your breast exam or arrange an appointment online today.

What are breast exams?

Breast exams include physical check-ups, mammograms, and other screening procedures that help to detect breast cancer before you develop symptoms. Undergoing breast exams regularly ensures Dr. Hubbard identifies cancer in its earliest stages when it’s easier to treat.

A breast self-exam is one you perform yourself, checking your breasts for anything that feels or looks different. You should see Dr. Hubbard if you find any of the following:

• Breast lumps
• Breast size or shape changes
• Fluid leaking from the nipples
• Irregular tissue thickening
• Pain or tenderness

Dr. Hubbard can perform a clinical breast exam, expertly checking both breasts, under the arms, and the collarbone area for signs of breast cancer. If she finds anything concerning, she can send you for a mammogram.

What is a mammogram?

Mammography uses low-dose X-rays to generate detailed images of your internal breast tissue. During a mammogram, you stand before the X-ray machine while a technician places your breast between two plates. These plates flatten each breast to produce clear pictures of the interior tissues.

Dr. Hubbard also recommends annual screening mammograms for people over 40 or sooner for those with a higher breast cancer risk. A screening mammogram typically involves taking two X-rays of each breast. These images will show tumors long before you’d be able to feel them. They can also highlight abnormalities that could lead to breast cancer.

What other breast exam procedures might I need?

Other diagnostic imaging procedures used to examine breasts include the following:

Breast ultrasound

Ultrasonography uses painless, high-frequency sound waves that enter the breast and bounce back, returning as echoes. Computer software converts the information into images you view on the ultrasound machine’s screen. Breast ultrasound can assess abnormalities discovered during a clinical breast exam or mammogram.

Breast MRI

Breast MRI screening uses radio waves and a powerful magnet to create detailed cross-sectional pictures of your breasts. It might involve having a fluid injection to improve visibility inside your breasts.

The latest breast exam technologies are breast tomosynthesis (3-D mammography) and contrast-enhanced digital mammography (CEDM), which include a contrast agent (a special dye) that cancerous tissue absorbs in greater amounts.

Procedures like breast ultrasound and tomosynthesis are especially helpful for women with dense breasts.

Call Dr. Dee L. Hubbard, MD, to arrange your breast exam or book an appointment online today.