Asymmetry Questions
Hi!
I had my first screening 3D mammogram (age 44) this week. My results came back with an area of asymmetry on my right breast (2:00-3:00 ish) and a possible second area that may just be the first one found, but in a different view. My last mammogram was in 2009 and the images are unavailable. They rated this BIRADS-0. It is also noted that I have "extremely dense breast tissue". I am trying my best not to Google but just had a few questions. Also, I happened to be at the Gyn this morning for an unrelated issue so I was able to talk to my doctor directly. I have implants and this area was seen in the pic without the implant. I am to follow up with diagnostic mammo and ultrasound.
After reading my report, he thoroughly examined the area with a fine toothed comb and did not feel anything at all but maybe some vague fibrocystic tissue. I am pretty lean so he said he got a good feel for the area, but I know not everything can be felt. Can fibrocystic tissue, cysts, etc.. cause this issue? Can it be a variant of normal tissues? My left breast has always been the one to give me grief with soreness, cysts, etc..so I was shocked when they said it was the right. There were no masses or calcifications seen.
Can benign thickened tissue also cause this?
I have a lot of anxiety 
and I am trying not to read/Google. He told me feels like its probably nothing and to try not to worry, but it is hard not to!
Comments
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Callbacks due to asymmetry are very common.
This could be something as simple as the way that your breast was positioned and squished in the mammogram machine, causing the appearance of asymmetry. That's exactly what it turned out to be for several women who have posted here recently who've had callbacks due to asymmetry.
Or if the asymmetry is real, it doesn't mean the cause is malignant. There are lots of benign causes for asymmetry, including fibrocystic conditions. Asymmetry with the absence of other factors (calcifications, a mass, architectural distortion) is more likely to be benign. So it's definitely too early to worry.
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Thank you Beesie! I am trying to remain calm. Can a cyst cause this issue? Could it just be the way I am made?
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Tomorrow I go in for my follow up testing. I am very nervous! I know I have anxiety issues for which I have sought counseling for over the years (and have done very well with) but with health issues, its hard for me to keep it in check. I appreciate the support from this forum going through these scary things.
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Sorry, I missed your post on October 4th. Yes, a small cyst, which might not be seen on the mammogram because of your extremely dense breast tissue, could cause asymmetry in the breast tissue. And yes, this asymmetry could just be the normal appearance of your breast tissue. If you read the links I've provided, this is explained.
Good luck tomorrow.
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Thank you so much Beesie!
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I wanted to update after my diagnostic. So once I went in, I had quite a few more images. They found a vague architectural distortion in the area of the "asymmetry". When that happened I got very, very nervous. They decided to send me for an ultrasound. The tech went over and over the entire half of my breast and took some pictures. She left and said she would come back with my results and the radiologist may or may not come in. When she came back with the radiologist, I then really got nervous. The radiologist said she wanted to perform the scan as well. So she did and she said that neither of them found anything, whatsoever. I am a pretty thin person and she said in layman's terms that my breast tissue was about as thin as a squished piece of bread and since I have implants, she said the tissue I did have was very pushed out and she said there really is just nothing there and she doesn't think there was anything to "miss". There is nothing palpable, nothing visible at all and there wouldn't be anything to even biopsy.
She believes that I have some scarring from my implant surgery. My implants were done through the areola, and the area in question is lateral to it, so that makes sense to me. She says when she has seen this before with people with implants, its almost always in this same area. She said there is nothing to biopsy and that she felt confident in her assessment. She said if she had even a shadow of an inkling of a concern, she would send me to a surgeon. She was very nice and friendly. She gave me a BIRADS-3 and suggested a 6 month follow up to prove stability, which she said she knows it will remain stable. She told me not to worry. My last mammogram was in 2009 and the records cannot be located but since it was before implants, she said it wouldn't help anyway at this point. After she left, the ultrasound tech reiterated that these doctors are hypervigilant and so she said for me not to worry, because they are not worried. So just wanted to update in case anyone is following, or if anyone comes across this post at another time and can see another possibility of a diagnosis. Thanks for the support!
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Great news!
I hope we see you back in 6 months with the good news that the follow-up went well and everything looks good!
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Thank you Beesie! I appreciate your support. I will come back for sure in 6 months to update!
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Hi Beesie!
You have been so helpful and I have another question. I can post my report if you'd like to see it.
When my final report came through yesterday from my Gyn on the portal, there was no mention of any architectural distortion. The tech who told me I had that, was not one that performed any of my exams. She just came and told me I would be having an ultrasound because of it. I originally as recalled for two asymmetries. The report describes a focal asymmetry in detail, and then said the second one effaced with additional films. I am still confident with the results yesterday but I feel like architectural distortion is important to note if in fact it was present. Perhaps the tech confused the term? The radiologist did not use the term either. Thoughts? I'm going to try to see how to post my report. I just feel like that is something that would be mentioned if it was there.
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Architectural distortion is often found in conjunction with asymmetry, and both are very common reasons for call-backs. My guess is that the Tech misspoke, using one term instead of the other.
The Radiologist assesses the imaging and writes the report and that trumps anything that a tech says, even the tech who is performing the exam. If the Radiologist described the focal asymmetry in detail, I'm sure he or she would not have ignored architectural distortion if it was present.
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Fantastic!!!! Im happy you are well and received such relieving news.
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Thank you so much!
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I wanted to follow up in case it may help someone else! It is hard to believe it has been 6 months already.
I started with the mammogram and she told me that I would likely have an ultrasound since my tissue is so dense. The U/S tech came and got me and said they sometimes double check in case the asymmetry was just a little different than the last mammogram (I wasn't clear if she was referring to me or if it was in general terms). Of course I went into panic mode! She took pictures, then after about 20 mins she came back in and said its good news-I have a simple cyst and just to come back in 6 months for my normal mammogram and they will recheck it. I am a worrier and just trying to be ok with it! I have nothing palpable. I did not see the radiologist this time. I am unsure if what they saw 6 months ago was indeed a cyst that is just now showing, or , just an incidental finding..either way, they aren't worried so I am going to try to go with it!0