@dazlin Is this since breast surgery or radiation? My first mammogram following surgery and radiation was fine. The second one showed some activity and radiologist feels it may be fat necrosis from radiation. I am required now to have mammograms every 6 months. My PET scan also showed some activity and that is also every 6 months due to the neuroendocrine diagnosis from my second cancer lesion.

@trixie …never had breast cancer. This is a new finding. I do wish you the best and complete healing.

@dazlin
Dense breast tissue is always a problem for radiologists… there sometimes are false positive results (hence radiological descriptions like "suspicious," etc.) For me, the follow-ups were additional 3-D views and an ultrasound for comparison, and then a core biopsy.

Hi @dazlin, I know this is scary. I had the same thing a year ago and also have dense breast. In my case it was a false positive and I didn't have breast cancer. Waiting was the hardest, especially as I sat in the waiting area for the second round of mammography. When do you go back for more tests?

@colleen Young , to be honest, I was hesitant about scheduling another appointment, but just today my care team at Mayo said they're going ahead with scheduling. So I'm waiting to hear further, and I'll also need approval from my insurance. Thank you for your reply…I feel very positive its nothing serious. Glad your ok!!

Dazlin, don't let fear stop you from taking care of yourself.

Don't borrow trouble by worrying…it could be nothing. Also, they can do magnification views for any question and beyond that can do a biopsy. Let us all know how you do…all the best.

I also have dense breast and just did magnification mammo and ultrasound. I'm waiting on my doctor to call with my biopsy appointment. I have calcifications and a architectural distortion in my right breast. Don't be afraid to seek additional treatment. Due to dense breast radiologist for the most part are guessing. I've had a scare before and it all turned out ok. So far nobody has explained why I'm having biopsy. I asked for my doctor to call me and her nurse called with no information. Architectural distortion is new to me. Does anyone know what it means? How does your doctor schedule biopsy appointments? It takes forever because the radiologist has to approve the doctors request for biopsy then schedule an appointment.

Mine were all done on the same day, both the first lesion noted and the second one, and it was the radiologists that performed the biopsies under ultrasound guidance.

Dazlin, Mayo is very thorough, so what might slip by elsewhere will not at Mayo. While not an asymmetry issue, I did have Mayo suggest a followup mammogram and then needle biopsy after reviewing the mammogram records that I brought with me. Turned out fine. In general 80%-85% of all biopsies do not find cancer. Odds are with you. Please go forward with your care.

@fitchick40 Architectural distortion means the normal breast tissue is distorted and the pattern is disrupted but there is no mass. No mass is good. There might be other terms to go along with "architectural distortion" to further describe it. I had a radial scar as my architectural distortion. No cancer found.

"How does your doctor schedule biopsy appointments?"

Not at Mayo where things are generally done bing, bing, bing, but at home sometimes I have called repeatedly to get the biopsy appt. Being distraught, which I actually was and was not putting on an act, helped. I also once threatened to schedule the biopsy with a competing medical institution because it was a 3 week delay after Birads 4C (more than 50% chance of cancer) on the mammogram. Good luck to you.

@elsie37 , thank you for your encouragement. So wonderful your ok!
I've been a patient at Mayo for several years, other issues. I think they take precautions with me, but yes, they are absolutely thorough…no stone unturned. Sometimes I get annoyed because I ALWAYS get called back for further tests. This mamogram is my 1st there, and I'm told its pretty common they may want a repeat mamogram. I have an appointment Tuesday Nov, 12th…mamogram and ultrasound. I'm not afraid…been down these paths of tests, and worrying or running progressions wreaks havoc on me! I'm not entertaining negative thoughts when all may be well. Should anything be wrong…I'll cross that bridge then. All said, none of this is easy, and I'm kinda aggravated.

@dazlin I've had two mammograms since my second surgery and radiation. The first was fine and the second one is questionable so I'll be having another one in January. Should anyone have had surgery and tender (I had partial mastectomies), ask the tech if they can hand turn the machinery down – it makes mammography so much easier after all that cutting. The very first one was when I still was having radiation burns and I was in tears having to have it done. The techs were wonderful and very gentle, then following that they had to do it again with magnification. Always speak up.

@trixie1313 , I'm sorry you're going through this, and had surgeries. It's such a hard path to encounter. I sincerely hope your next mamogram in January is free and clear. I just hate that period until final diagnosis is in. It can be a mental battle until we learn to squash it.

Hi ladies, had my repeat mamogram, followed by ultrasound. There are 2 spots of concern, but likely benign. Could be overlapping tissue. Didnt show up on ultrasound. Will repeat tests in 6 months. Dr said they were there last test, over a year ago. They did comparison of that, which was done at another clinic, and said they are much more distinct now, so that's why they looked further. Sadly, I wasn't told about any findings from that test last year at another clinic. …or maybe it didn't look concerning??
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