Breast tomography

Mammography, as a diagnostic method, is currently the most informative and convenient. This innovative non-invasive method of research has taken its rightful place among the methods that help a specialist make a correct diagnosis. Detailing, the ability to increase the area of interest and the ability to make the necessary measurements allow you to thoroughly study the organ of concern and diagnose the problem more correctly.

Indications for breast tomography

Tomography of the mammary glands is a technique that does not replace, but rather complements such research methods as ultrasound examination and mammography.

The following indications for breast tomography are identified:

• Preventive measures for the detection of neoplasms of various etiologies.
• Establishing the nature of neoplasms diagnosed by other methods.
• Diagnostics of malignant tumors at early stages of development, problematically ascertained with the help of other methods and medical equipment. This method is especially relevant for women who have problems with excess glandular cells in the mammary glands or those who fall into the high-risk zone for cancer of this female organ.
• Trauma received in the chest area.
• Suspected loss of integrity of breast implants.
• Planning of surgical intervention.
• Diagnostics of connective tissues in the postoperative period. Prevention of recurrent tumors.
• Monitoring the adequacy of the treatment provided.
• Evaluation of the clinical picture before surgical treatment involving breast conservation.
• Determination of the volume of a cancerous tumor and the area of metastasis previously found during mammography.
• Evaluation of results after chemotherapy.

Preparation for breast tomography

This medical examination does not require any special preparations on the part of the patient. But simply coming to the clinic and “taking a photo” will not work. Certain preparations for breast tomography do exist.

• Many clinics have a practice of changing the patient into a sterile medical gown before the examination to avoid the presence of metal elements in the clothing.
• Depending on the specifics of the analysis, the doctor may make adjustments to your diet before the study itself, otherwise you will not have to change your daily routine or usual diet.
• Some methods of performing tomography of the mammary glands require the introduction of a special contrast agent into the patient's bloodstream. In this case, the radiologist conducting the examination necessarily finds out whether the woman has a tendency to allergic reactions (in particular, to iodine or the components of the contrast agent). He tries to study and analyze the patient's medical history: the presence of bronchial asthma, severe kidney pathologies. After all, the substance used can be dangerous to the health of a person with such pathologies. In this case, the patient takes a blood test (to assess kidney function). But, most often, gadolinium (not containing iodine) used in X-ray examination rarely causes various side effects or allergic reactions.
• The assisting nurse or the doctor himself finds out about recent or ongoing illnesses and surgeries.
• The radiologist must be warned if the patient is pregnant. No facts of negative impact of tomography of mammary glands on the course of pregnancy and the fetus itself have been revealed, but still the effects of electromagnetic waves on the human body have not been fully studied. Therefore, an experienced doctor prescribes this medical examination only in a situation where the need for it is really high and outweighs the expected risk. Contrast material is strictly contraindicated for such a patient.
• If the patient suffers from claustrophobia or is very nervous, the doctor may offer her a mild sedative.
• It is necessary to remove absolutely all jewelry and costume jewelry, including hairpins and hair pins. Electronics are also left behind the door. Since all this can disrupt the operation of the equipment. The following is not allowed into the examination room:
  • Products made of precious metals and costume jewelry.
  • Removable dentures.
  • Badges, hair pins.
  • Hearing aid, under the influence of waves it can be put out of order.
  • Metal objects: lighters, buttons, folding knives, etc.
  • Credit cards.
  • Mobile phones, USB drives.
• A radiologist must be aware of the “object” introduced into the human body:
  • Pacemaker.
  • Clip (a special device used in the treatment of cerebral aneurysm).
  • Implants.
  • Special shunts, metal plates, surgical staples.
  • Artificial heart valve.
  • Knitting needles (used in orthopedics), stents (devices inserted into blood vessels).
  • Neurostimulator.
  • Pule.
  • And many other things.
• If the patient is “equipped” with such internal attributes, the doctor may prescribe an X-ray before the CT scan.
• Braces and metal crowns most often do not affect the results of the study. They can distort such results only when undergoing a tomography study of the head area.

How is breast tomography performed?

This examination can be carried out in outpatient settings, at specialized centers, or in hospitals. It would be useful for a patient who has been prescribed this examination to know how tomography of the mammary glands is performed?

Typically, a radiologist works with an assistant. A nurse, using special fastening material and pads, fixes the patient on a mobile podium, forcing the person to lie motionless for a long time. If a woman is scheduled for a breast tomography, she is placed with her back up, face down. The body is fixed on a platform designed for this purpose. This device has gaps specially designed for this examination, allowing photographs to be taken without deforming the breast.

The key to a quality examination is the patient's body immobility. To achieve this, the patient must lie down as comfortably as possible and relax as much as possible. Muscle tension can only do harm. If a woman feels even minor discomfort, it is imperative to tell the medical staff about it.

The mobile platform is designed by engineers and medical workers in such a way that all the electronic equipment necessary for the examination is built directly into it. When performing tomography of the mammary glands, a mandatory condition is the introduction of a contrast material, otherwise it is very difficult to diagnose cancerous neoplasms. The contrast material enters through a catheter inserted into a vein in the arm. Usually, a nurse connects a bottle of saline to the catheter, which is designed to ensure the possibility of unimpeded introduction of the contrast material. After these manipulations, the platform together with the patient is fed into the device, and the medical staff leaves the room.

Several images are taken, after which a contrast material is injected into the vein. During and after the contrast injection, the breast imaging continues. The radiologist receives a sufficient number of images for subsequent analysis. After the procedure is completed, the patient will have to wait a little. After all, in the process of analyzing the series of images obtained, the doctor may need some more angles of the images. Only after this is the catheter removed from the vein.

As a rule, obtaining a sequential series of images takes from half an hour to an hour, since each image takes several minutes. In this case, the total time of the study can be one and a half hours. During the study, it is possible to perform magnetic resonance spectroscopy. It allows for an assessment of biochemical operations inside the cell. This procedure will take another 15 minutes.

Computed tomography of the mammary gland

This procedure is related to X-ray examinations, which allow for more accurate diagnosis of pathology. Computer tomography of the mammary gland is a method of influencing the area of interest of the human body (in this case, the chest) with beams of a certain intensity, which are sent at different angles. All the information received is “flowed” directly into the computer and processed by a special program, which creates a three-dimensional image of the tissue section of the organ of interest.

This is a fairly safe, most informative non-invasive method of examination. MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computer tomography) settings are very similar. In most cases, CT is performed after preliminary diagnosis and specification of the inflammatory area in the retromammary space in order to clarify the localization of the pathology, its prevalence, as well as to verify the diagnosis. CT allows you to detect non-palpable neoplasms that remain inaccessible during biopsy, the material for which is obtained by taking a puncture, carried out under the control of mammography and ultrasound.

Computer tomography of the mammary gland can be prescribed in case of a significant neoplasm to determine its operability, the volume of metastasis. Thanks to this study, it is possible to really assess the condition of other organs (liver, lungs, lymphatic and bone systems, spinal cord and brain).

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Magnetic resonance imaging of the mammary glands

This procedure is quite informative and is a basic diagnostic method for recognizing many diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging of the mammary glands allows you to get a high-precision image of the gland, which allows the doctor to make a more correct diagnosis and choose the most effective treatment. In most situations, MRI is a method that accompanies mammography and ultrasound examination. Due to this, complementing each other, these studies make it possible to get the most complete clinical picture of pathological changes in a woman's breast.

The advantages of using magnetic resonance imaging include the following features:

• MRI does not involve surgery and is a purely non-invasive procedure.
• During the examination, a person is not exposed to X-rays that are dangerous to his general health.
• The use of magnetic resonance imaging makes it possible to recognize pathological changes that are problematic or impossible to identify in any other way.
• MRI is simply irreplaceable in cases where there is a suspicion of malignant neoplasms present in the breast, as well as in determining the size of metastases.

Contraindications to breast tomography

This method of modern medicine is recognized as the safest, most accurate and informative in comparison with other research methods used in the diagnosis of breast pathology. But contraindications to tomography of the mammary glands still exist:

• The presence of a pacemaker in the patient's body.
• Claustrophobia (the patient is haunted by the fear of being left in a confined space) – there are tomographs that have a so-called “open” circuit.
• The presence of implants made from materials that react to the action of an electromagnetic field (this does not include titanium products).
• If the study is planned to be performed with a contrast agent, it is necessary to consult a specialist, especially if the woman has a history of allergic reactions or pathological changes in kidney function. This will help to avoid multiple complications.
• Epilepsy.
• Obesity. The tomograph is presented in a number of modifications, which are limited by the patient's weight parameters.
• Pregnancy period. This study is not strictly prohibited, but before it is carried out, a woman expecting a child should consult with her doctor.
• There are no age restrictions for this technique, but still, in light of the fact that a child by nature is not able to lie motionless for a long time, therefore, the recommended age limit is 7-8 years.

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Where can I get a breast tomography?

Today, any large city center can offer several specialized clinics that have an MRI scanner in their "arsenal" and are able to conduct a high-quality examination of a woman's breasts. Therefore, the question - where to do a tomography of the mammary glands? - is not so difficult to solve. The main criterion for choosing a clinic should be the availability of qualified personnel and an acceptable price for the procedure.

We can offer several Kyiv clinics:

• Cyber Clinic Spizhenko, located at the address: Kiev region, Kievo-Svyatoshinsky district, Kapitanovka village, Sovetskaya street, 21. This is the only private radiological institution located in Eastern Europe. The clinic is able to offer a full diagnostic and treatment cycle of services.
• Kyiv City Consultative and Diagnostic Center, located at: Kyiv, Yuri Kondratyuk Street, 6.
• The Medicom Center is located at the following address: Kyiv, Heroyiv Stalingradu Ave., 6D.
• EUROCLINIC, located at the address: Kyiv, Melnikova Street, 16.
• Innovation, the clinic is located at the address: Kyiv, Lyutezh village, Vitryanoho street, 69a.
• Universal clinic "Obereg". Address of the institution: Kyiv, Zoologicheskaya street, 3, building B.
• Network of diagnostic centers MediVIP, located at the following addresses: Kiev, Komarova Ave., 3 and Kyiv, Ilyinskaya St., 3/7

To find a clinic closer to your place of residence, you can type in a search query about clinics in your city or nearby settlements.

Price of breast tomography

The selection of diagnostic methods is the complete prerogative of the doctor treating the disease, but the choice of a clinic offering its diagnostic services is the patient's legal right. A great many private and public institutions provide ample opportunities for selection. The authority of specialized diagnostic clinics is also important, and the price of breast tomography is also an important factor in choosing. The range of prices in various institutions offering this service is quite large. For example, the EUROCLINIC diagnostic center will charge 600 UAH for the study, while a visit to the Innovation clinic for an MRI will cost the patient 1815 UAH. Therefore, before deciding on a clinic, it is worth finding out the level of qualification of the staff, if possible, read reviews from women who have undergone examination in the clinic of interest, and also inquire about the cost of the procedure.

It is no secret that breast cancer has firmly taken first place in the world in terms of malignant pathology in women. The danger of cancerous neoplasms is that they may not manifest themselves in any way for a while. Therefore, you should not neglect any opportunity to check your health. One of the most informative non-invasive diagnostic methods is tomography of the mammary glands, which makes it possible to identify changes that have occurred in breast tissue at an early stage. After all, the chances of recovery are much higher if the disease is stopped in its infancy. But if the disease has already developed sufficiently, this method makes it possible to see the real clinical picture of the disease.