Breast imaging

Mammography uses X-rays to take pictures of your breasts. We use mammography to screen for breast cancer, which means detecting changes in breast tissue before symptoms appear.

At Penn Medicine, all our mammograms are three-dimensional (3D). A 3D mammogram, also called breast tomosynthesis, provides more detailed images than a standard mammogram, so we can often see small tumors or other subtle abnormalities earlier.

A breast ultrasound uses a special computer and sound waves, not radiation, to create images of breast tissue. We may recommend a breast ultrasound to examine changes in breast tissue, such as fluid-filled cysts, that might not show up on a mammogram.

A breast ultrasound is also beneficial for women with dense breast tissue, which can make tumors difficult to see on X-rays. In some cases, we use ultrasound imaging to guide breast biopsy procedures.

A breast MRI uses a powerful magnet and radio waves to produce pictures of breast tissue. Unlike an X-ray, it doesn’t use ionizing radiation. We may give you an injection of a contrast dye before your exam, which helps breast tissue show up in more detail on the scan.

We may recommend a breast MRI if you:

• Are at a high risk for breast cancer due to family history or genetics
• Have concerning symptoms, such as a breast lump or nipple discharge
• Have inconclusive or abnormal results on a screening mammogram
• Have recently been diagnosed with breast cancer

A breast biopsy is a procedure to remove a small sample of tissue from your breast. A pathologist examines it under a microscope to look for cancer.

At Penn Medicine, we use the latest imaging techniques such as ultrasound and MRI to guide biopsy procedures for better precision and accuracy.

Types of breast biopsies we perform include:

• Core needle biopsy: uses a needle to remove a sample from a tumor
• Fine needle aspiration: uses a thin needle to remove cells from cysts or lumps close to the surface of the skin
• Surgical biopsy: removes an entire tumor or mass that we can’t reach with a needle
• Lymph node biopsy: checks for cancer that has spread from the breast to the lymph nodes