• Breast changes
• Benign breast condition diagnosis
• Breast cancer diagnosis
• • Your feelings
  • What further tests might I have?
  • Biopsy tests
  • Types of primary breast cancer
  • Secondary breast cancer
  • Staging and grading
  • Triple Negative Breast Cancer

Following a diagnosis of breast cancer, further tests or investigations will be performed.

A photograph of the breasts may be taken. This is to keep a record of their appearance at the time of your first consultation. Please let your doctor know if you would like a friend or relative present when this photograph is taken.

Blood samples are likely to be taken to check your general health and how well certain organs in the body are working, for example the liver and kidneys.

A chest x-ray may be taken to check your general health. Occasionally other x-rays are taken, for example of the bones.

If you have bone pain or blood tests show some abnormal results, a bone scan may be performed to find out if the cancer has spread to your bones.

Before the scan an injection of an isotope (a radioactive substance) is given into a vein in the arm. The dose of radiation is very small and not harmful.

It does not make you radioactive; you are safe to be with other people afterwards (although try to avoid pregnant women and children for the day if you can) and the radioactivity will disappear from your body within a few hours.

A bone scan uses this radiation to identify bone disease. Abnormal bone will absorb more of the radioactive substance than normal bone and will show up on the scan as highlighted areas.

If you have arthritis or a previous injury, these will also show up on the scan and you may be asked to have additional x-rays of any highlighted areas (hot spots) to rule out other causes.

The isotope takes up to 3 hours to travel through the bloodstream to the bones before the scan can be taken. You may want to prepare for this waiting time by bringing a book with you or bringing a friend or relative for company.

The scan itself takes around 30 minutes under a special camera. It is painless.

Ultrasound uses sound waves to build up a picture of organs such as the liver. Having an ultrasound should take only 5-10 minutes and is completely painless. No radiation is used.

This test is done in the hospital's scanning department. You are asked to lie on an examination couch and a gel is spread over the skin. This helps to conduct the sound waves.

A special sensor, similar to a microphone, is moved over the skin. This transmits sound waves, some of which are bounced back and some are absorbed. The returning sound waves are picked up, converted into an image using a computer and displayed on a screen.

An MRI scan uses a magnetic field to build up meticulous cross-sectional pictures of parts of the body. MRI stands for Magnetic Resonance Imaging and the scan images blood flow to determine the shape and size of a tumour.

Computer systems and radio waves are used but no radiation. Views can be taken from nearly every angle, allowing the doctor to build up a very detailed picture of the tumour.

This test is done in the hospital's scanning department. You are asked to lie very still on a couch inside a long chamber for up to 30 minutes. This can be quite unpleasant if you are claustrophobic and you may want to mention this to the radiographer so that he/she will be aware of your discomfort.

As the MRI scanner is very noisy you will be given earplugs/headphones and these may serve as a useful distraction. The scan itself is painless.

The chamber is a powerful magnet, so before going in you will be asked to remove any metal belongings, such as your wristwatch. If you have a cardiac monitor, a pacemaker or certain surgical clips you should not have an MRI scan because of the magnetic fields.

You will be able to go home once the scan has been completed.

The CT scanning machine uses a computer to produce a series of x-ray pictures, which represent views through different parts of the body. The scan allows the doctors to build up a detailed three-dimensional view of organs and tissues in the body.

The scan itself uses a small amount of radiation. It is a painless procedure that should take anywhere from 10-30 minutes. You will be asked not to eat or drink for the 4 hours before the scan.

Sometimes, a drink or dye injection may be given to help illuminate a particular area more clearly. If this is something that you come across, make sure that you let the doctors know if you have asthma or are allergic to iodine.

You will be able to go home once the scan has been completed

Occasionally your doctor may request other tests. If you don't understand what these involve or why they are necessary, please ask your doctor or nurse.

           

• Breast changes
• Benign breast condition diagnosis
• Breast cancer diagnosis
• • Your feelings
  • What further tests might I have?
  • Biopsy tests
  • Types of primary breast cancer
  • Secondary breast cancer
  • Staging and grading
  • Triple Negative Breast Cancer

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