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Stanford Health Care

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Our Approach to Breast Imaging and Biopsy

The Stanford Breast Imaging and Biopsy team provides you with outstanding screening, diagnostic, surgical, and support services. As an American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Center of Excellence, our experts focus primarily on breast health, and cancerous and noncancerous breast disease, including breast cancer in women and men. We use the most advanced technology and give you the subspecialty expertise of Stanford's world-renowned Department of Radiology.

Our team performs about 10,000 screening and diagnostic mammograms for breast cancer annually and sees hundreds of patients who are already diagnosed and transferring their care to Stanford. Stanford offers medical and surgical oncology, radiation therapy, breast reconstruction, surviviorship care, and access to clinical trials in a compassionate, patient-centered environment.

WHAT WE OFFER YOU FOR BREAST IMAGING & BIOPSIES

  • Breast cancer screening and detection expertise that comes from our exclusive focus on breast cancer and diagnostic experience.
  • Fewer tests and greater accuracy with techniques and expertise that ensure we correctly interpret your results to identify the best treatment plan for you.
  • Leaders in imaging innovation, including doctors who are renowned for developing new uses of MRI, digital mammography, and tomosynthesis.
  • Access to the latest imaging technology, including the latest MRI models, digital mammography, and ultrasound technology.
  • Integrated, collaborative care where we work weekly with your chemotherapy, surgery, and radiation doctors, when appropriate, to create your customized treatment plan.
  • Convenient locations and hours, providing high quality, advanced imaging services with evening and weekend hours for your busy schedule.

What Is Breast Imaging & Biopsy?

Types of Breast Imaging & Biopsy

We use a wide variety of tools and technologies to screen, detect, and diagnose breast cancer. If cancer is detected, these tests help our doctors find the type of cancer, as well as determine the stage and location of the cancer.

Mammography

Mammography is the use of X-rays to create images of the breast. We perform screening mammograms for women without symptoms and diagnostic mammograms for women with areas of concern. Our dedicated mammography technologists pay special attention to optimal technique, body positioning, and breast compression to minimize your exposure to radiation during the mammogram.

Our typical mammogram includes tomosynthesis, or 3-D mammography, which allows the radiologist to see through dense tissue to a greater degree than with 2-D mammography. This technique improves the chances of finding cancer early and reduces the risk of a false alarm. 

Ultrasound

Breast ultrasound is an imaging technique that uses sound waves to create images of breast tissue. Ultrasounds can reveal the tissue composition and blood flow in any areas of concern in your breast. This information helps our radiologists determine their level of suspicion regarding these findings.

Our breast sonographers (ultrasound specialists) have special training in performing breast ultrasounds to achieve the most accurate images. Breast ultrasound is a standard, painless additional test to evaluate areas of concern found on a mammogram or breast exam.

MRI

For women and men with a breast cancer diagnosis, and for those at high risk of breast cancer, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can provide the clearest, most detailed pictures of the breast. This radiation-free imaging technology creates 3-D images of the breasts that we use in screening, staging, treatment response evaluation, and pre-surgery planning.

At Stanford, we perform MRI exams on advanced 3 Tesla (3T) scanners. We offer a variety of comfort measures if you undergo this exam, which typically lasts around 45 minutes and requires you to lie still for best results. These measures include eye covers, warm blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, and anti-anxiety medication, as needed.

Image-guided breast biopsy

A breast biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure in which we remove a sample of breast tissue from your breast. Our skilled pathologists examine the tissue under a microscope to check for cancerous cells. We use the latest imaging technology to precisely pinpoint the biopsy area and to guide the needle to the same area. The size, shape, and location of the tumor determines which biopsy technique we use.

Our Clinics

Imaging Clinic (Radiology)
Utilizing state-of-the-art technology Stanford Medicine Imaging maintains the highest standards of clinical excellence in a caring environment.
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RELATED CLINICS

For a full list of diagnostic and imaging clinics, visit our clinic directory.