Tomography of mammary glands

Tomography of mammary glands, as a diagnostic method, is by far the most informative and convenient. This innovative non-invasive method of research took a worthy place among the techniques that help the specialist in setting the right diagnosis. Detailing, the possibility of increasing the area of interest and the ability to make the necessary measurements allow us to thoroughly study the exciting organ and correctly diagnose the problem.

Indications for breast tomography

Mammary gland tomography is a technique that is non-substituting, and more complementary to such methods of research as ultrasound examination and mammography.

There are the following indications for breast tomography:

• Preventive measures to detect neoplasms of various etiologies.
• Establishment of the nature of tumors diagnosed by other methods.
• Diagnosis of malignant tumors in the early stages of development, problematically ascertained with the help of other techniques and medical equipment. Especially this method is relevant for women who have problems with excess glandular cells in the mammary glands or those that fall into the zone of increased risk for the cancer of this female organ.
• Trauma received in the chest area.
• Suspicion of loss of integrity of breast implants.
• Planning of operative intervention.
• Diagnosis of connective tissue in the postoperative period. Prevention of recurrent tumors.
• Control of the adequacy of treatment.
• Evaluation of the clinical picture before surgical treatment, suggesting breast preservation.
• Determination of cancer tumor volume and metastasis area, previously found in mammography.
• Evaluation of results after chemotherapy.

Preparing for breast tomography

Any special preparation by the patient this medical research does not require. But just to come to the clinic and "take a picture" will not work. A certain preparation for the imaging of mammary glands nevertheless exists.

• Many clinics have the practice of changing the patient before the examination in a sterile medical robe to avoid the presence of metal elements in clothing.
• Depending on the features of the analysis, the doctor before the study itself can introduce a correction in the diet, otherwise you will not have to change your daily routine and the usual diet.
• Some methods of carrying out tomography of the mammary glands require the introduction of a special contrast agent into the bloodstream of the patient. In this case, the radiologist who conducts the examination, necessarily clarifies the question of the presence of a woman's tendency to allergic manifestations (in particular, iodine or the components of contrast medium). He tries to study and analyze the patient's anamnesis: the presence of bronchial asthma, severe kidney pathologies. After all, the substance used can be dangerous for human health with such pathologies. In this case, the patient passes the blood test (to assess the functioning of the kidneys). But, most often, used in the X-ray study of gadolinium (not containing iodine) rarely causes various side effects or allergic reactions.
• Assistant nurse or the doctor himself finds out about the recently transferred, or ongoing, diseases, performed operations.
• The radiologist should be warned if the patient is pregnant. No matter what the facts of the negative impact of breast tomography on the course of pregnancy and the fetus itself is not revealed, yet the effects of electromagnetic waves on the human body are not fully understood. Therefore, this medical examination is prescribed by an experienced doctor only in the situation when the necessity of its carrying out is really high and outweighs the assumed risk. The contrast material of such a patient is categorically contraindicated.
• If the patient suffers from claustrophobia or is very nervous, the doctor may offer her a mild sedative.
• It is necessary to remove absolutely all jewelry and jewelry, including hairpins and pins in the hair. Behind the door there is also electronics. So ka all this can knock down the operation of the equipment. The study room is not allowed to carry:
  • Products from precious metals and jewelry.
  • Removable dentures.
  • Icons, hair pins.
  • Hearing aid, under the influence of waves, it can be disabled.
  • Metal objects: lighters, buttons, folding knives and so on.
  • Credit cards.
  • Mobile phones, usb - carriers.
• The radiologist must know about the "object" implanted in the human body:
  • Pacemaker.
  • Clip (a special device used in the treatment of an aneurysm of the brain).
  • Implants.
  • Special shunts, metal plates, surgical brackets.
  • An artificial heart valve.
  • Spokes (used in orthopedics), stents (devices that penetrate into the blood vessels).
  • Neuro-stimulant.
  • Pula.
  • And many other things.
• If the patient is "equipped" with such internal attributes, the doctor may assign to her CT also radiography.
• Braces and metal crowns most often do not affect the result of the study. Distort such results they can only when passing a study of tomography of the head region.

How is breast tomography performed?

This study can be carried out in clinics, on the basis of specialized centers, in the hospital. The patient, who is assigned this examination is not superfluous, will know how tomography of mammary glands is performed?

Usually the radiologist works with an assistant. The nurse, using special fixing material and pads, fixes the subject on the mobile podium, causing the person to lie still for a long time. If a woman is scheduled to carry out tomography of the mammary glands, she is laid with her back turned up, her face pointing down. The body is fixed on the platform intended for this purpose. This device has specially provided for this study lumens, allowing you to make photographs, without deforming the chest.

The key to qualitative research is immobility of the patient's body. To achieve this, the patient needs to lie down as comfortably as possible and relax as much as possible. The tension in the muscles can only hurt. If a woman feels even a slight discomfort - this must necessarily tell the medical staff.

The mobile platform is designed by engineers and medical personnel in such a way that all the electronic equipment necessary for the research is built directly into it. When carrying out tomography of mammary glands, a mandatory condition is the introduction of contrast material, otherwise it is very difficult to diagnose cancerous growths. Contrasting material enters through a catheter inserted into the vein of the hand. Usually, the nurse connects to the catheter a bottle with saline solution, which is designed to ensure the possibility of unimpeded introduction of contrast material. After carrying out these manipulations, the platform along with the patient moves into the apparatus, while the nurses leave the room.

A few pictures are taken, then a contrast material is inserted into the vein. During the period of entering the contrast and after it, breast imaging continues. For further analysis, the radiologist receives a sufficient number of images. After the end of the procedure, the patient will have to wait several times. After all, in the analysis of the resulting series of images, the doctor may need some more camera angles. Only after this, the catheter is withdrawn from the vein.

As a rule, obtaining a consecutive series of images takes from half an hour to an hour, as each photo takes several minutes. In this case, the total time of the study can be one and a half hours. In the course of the study, it is possible to perform magnetic resonance spectroscopy. It makes it possible to evaluate the biochemical operations inside the cell. This procedure will take another 15 minutes.

Computed tomography of the breast

This procedure is referred to radiology research, which allows more accurate diagnosis of pathology. Computed tomography of the mammary gland is a technique for influencing the area of interest in the human body (in this case on the chest) with rays of a certain intensity, which are sent at different angles. All the information received is "flocked" directly to the computer and processed by a special program that creates a three-dimensional image of the tissue cut of the organ of interest.

This is a fairly safe, most informative, non-invasive method of investigation. Installations for MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) and CT (computer tomography) are very similar. In most cases, CT is performed after preliminary diagnosis and concretization of the inflammatory area in the retramammary space to clarify the location of the pathology, its prevalence, as well as to verify the diagnosis. CT can detect non-palpable neoplasms that remain inaccessible during biopsy, the material for which is obtained by taking a puncture under the control of mammography and ultrasound.

Computerized tomography of the breast can be prescribed in the case of a significant neoplasm to determine its operability, the extent of metastasis. Thanks to this study, you can really assess the condition of other organs (liver, lungs, lymphatic and bone systems, spinal cord and brain).

[1], [2], [3], [4], [5], [6], [7], [8], [9], [10], [11], [12], [13]

Magnetic resonance imaging of mammary glands

This procedure is quite informative and is the basic diagnostic technique for recognizing many diseases. Magnetic resonance imaging of the mammary glands allows obtaining a picture of a gland of high accuracy, which enables the doctor to diagnose more correctly and select the most effective treatment. In most situations, MRI is a technique of concomitant mammography and ultrasound examination. Thanks to this, complementing each other, these studies give the opportunity to get the most complete clinical picture of the pathological changes in the woman's breast.

The advantages of using magnetic resonance imaging include its features:

• MRI does not involve surgery, being a purely non-invasive procedure.
• At the time of the examination, a person is not exposed to X-rays harmful to his overall health.
• The use of magnetic resonance imaging can detect such pathological changes that are problematic or impossible to identify in another way.
• MRI is simply irreplaceable in cases where there is a suspicion of the presence of malignant neoplasms present in the chest, as well as when specifying the size of metastasis.

Contraindications to breast tomography

This method of modern medicine is recognized as the most safe, accurate and informative in comparison with other research methods used in the diagnosis of breast pathology. But contra-indications to carrying out of a tomography of mammary glands nevertheless exist:

• The presence of a pacemaker in the patient's body.
• Claustrophobia (the patient pursues the fear of remaining in a confined space) - there are tomographs that have a so-called "open" contour.
• The presence of implants created from materials reacting to the action of the electromagnetic field (this does not include titanium products).
• If the study is planned to be carried out with a contrast agent, it is necessary to consult a specialist, especially if a woman's history has a tendency to allergic reactions or pathological changes in the functioning of the kidneys. This will avoid multiple complications.
• Epilepsy.
• Obesity. The tomograph is represented by a number of modifications, which are limited by the weight parameters of the patient.
• Period of pregnancy. This study is not strictly prohibited, but before it is conducted, a woman waiting for a child should consult with her doctor.
• This method does not have any age limitations, but in the light of the fact that the child by nature is not able to stay for a long time motionless, therefore, the recommended age limit is 7-8 years.

[14], [15], [16], [17], [18], [19], [20], [21], [22]

Where is tomography of mammary glands made?

To date, no matter how large a city center can offer several specialized clinics that have an MR-tomograph in their arsenal and are capable of carrying out a high-quality examination of a woman's breasts. So the question is - where to make a tomography of mammary glands? - it is not so difficult to decide. The main criterion for choosing a clinic should be the question of the availability of qualified personnel and an acceptable price for the procedure performed.

We can offer several Kiev clinics:

• Cyber clinic Spizhenko, located at: Kiev region, Kiev-Svyatoshinsky district, with. Kapitanivka, Sovetskaya, 21. This is the only private radiological institution located on the territory of Eastern Europe. The clinic is able to offer a full diagnostic and treatment cycle of services.
• Kiev City Consultative and Diagnostic Center, located at: Kyiv, ul. Yuri Kondratyuk, 6.
• Center "Medicom", located at the address: Kiev, Geroev Stalingrada Avenue, 6D.
• EUROCLINICA, located at the address: Kiev, ul. Melnikova, 16.
• Innovation, the clinic is located at: Kiev, with. Lutezh, st. Viscable, 69a.
• Universal clinic "Obereg". Address of the institution: Kyiv, ul. Zoological, 3, building B.
• The network of diagnostic centers MediVIP, located at the addresses: Kyiv, Komarova Ave., 3 and Kiev, ul. Ilinskaya, 3/7

To pick up a clinic closer to your place of residence, you can "hammer in the search engine" request for clinics in your city or near lying settlements.

Price of tomography of mammary glands

Selection of methods for establishing a diagnosis is the full prerogative of the doctor who leads the disease, but the choice of a clinic offering its services in the field of diagnostics is the legal right of the patient. A great variety of private and public institutions provide ample opportunities for selection. Important authority of specialized diagnostic clinics, not the last place in the choice is the price of tomography of the mammary glands. The spread of prices in various institutions offering this service is quite large. For example, in the diagnostic center "EUROCLINIC" for the study will take 600 UAH, when as a trip to the MRI in the clinic "Innovation" will cost the patient in 1815 UAH. Therefore, before deciding on a clinic, it is worthwhile to find out the level of qualification of the staff, if possible, to get acquainted with the reviews of women who have been examined in the interested clinic, and also ask about the cost of the procedure.

It has long been no secret that breast cancer has become a strong first place in the world for malignant pathology in women. The danger of cancerous growths is that for the time being they can not manifest themselves in any way. Therefore, do not neglect any opportunity to test your health. One of the most informative non-invasive methods of diagnosis is the tomography of the mammary glands, which makes it possible to identify changes that have occurred in the tissues of the breast, even in the early stages. After all, the chances of recovery are much higher when the disease is stopped in the bud. But if the disease has already developed sufficiently, this method makes it possible to see the actual clinical picture of the disease.