Best Of

Hi @tawnypreston, We are not doctors either. I know something about veterinary imaging but even a radiologist would need to examine the entire film sequence to offer an opinion.

The standard imaging for diagnosing breast abnormalities is a diagnostic mammogram followed by an ultrasound. An MRI is useful for dense breasts but can sometimes give false positives. All three of these modalities are noninvasive. While a mammogram compresses the breast and is uncomfortable it does not cause trauma or spread cancer. A QT scan uses transmitted ultrasound waves while a traditional ultrasound uses reflected waves. QT scans are relatively new but untested. One very small study showed that they were better at detecting benign lesions but worse at detecting malignant ones than a 2D mammogram. The standard mammogram now is 3D digital tomosynthesis which gives better views than the old type. QT is not a proven alternative to the three currently used modalities.

You should consult your doctor about next steps. A biopsy which is invasive is the only way to find out if an area of concern is cancer. A biopsy causes mild pain and bruising which heals in about a week. The discomfort is necessary to get a definitive answer. All the best.