Preparation: None. Please, women  40 years or older, it is mandatory to bring your previous Mammography exam (reports and CD with mammogram Images), to compare and for best evaluation during the Breast Ultrasound. The Elastography and SWE only if applicable. Please do the check-in 15 minutes early to fill in all previous legal documentation before the test. The final interpretation may lead to additional Procedures or Follow-Up.  It is the patient's responsibility to contact the doctor for the ultrasound results.

Shear Wave Elastography is often used as a "virtual biopsy" because it can provide information about the tissue without the need for a physical biopsy. It can be particularly useful in cases where a biopsy is not possible or may be risky, such as when the tissue is located in a difficult-to-reach area or when the patient is at high risk for complications. A "virtual biopsy" is now possible in Miami Sonogram (only applicable in certain individual protocol scenarios).

Our report includes your BI-RADS score, which indicates the radiologist's opinion about the absence or presence of breast cancer. Your score provides details about the possible diagnosis and whether additional testing is necessary. 

Your BI-RADS score is a number between 0 and 6. Each number corresponds to a classification that estimates your breast cancer risk based on the imaging test. 

Category 0: Incomplete

A score of 0 means that your mammogram or ultrasound didn't provide enough information for a clear diagnosis. This does not necessarily mean your healthcare provider is worried about breast cancer.

This designation requires a follow-up imaging study, such as a mammogram or ultrasound obtained with special views, or a breast MRI. 

Category 1: Normal

A score of 1 means that you do not have any suspicious masses or calcifications and your breast tissue looks healthy.

Category 2: Benign

A score of 2 is given when your breast tissue looks normal and any cysts, fibroadenomas (noncancerous tumors), or other masses appear benign.

Category 3: Probably Benign

A score of 3 refers to a finding of uncertain significance. Short-term follow-up is ordered to make sure that the finding remains stable.

Category 4: Possibly Malignant

A score of 4 is reported when there are one or more suspicious lesions, masses, or calcifications. A breast biopsy is often recommended to check the suspicious area.

Category 5: Malignant

A score of 5 means that there is a mass (or more than one mass) with an appearance of cancer. A biopsy is recommended to make an accurate diagnosis.

It's important to note that even though this category is described as "malignant," masses may appear cancerous but are related to a benign condition instead. 

Category 6: Malignant Tissue

Category 6 is only used if tissue from a biopsy has been examined and found to be cancerous. If this is the case, treatment is necessary. The imaging test is being obtained as part of the treatment or follow-up plan.

BI-RADS reports also score breast density, which assesses how much fatty, glandular, and fibrous tissue you have in your breasts. Dense breast tissue can make it harder to spot tumors on your mammogram.

For younger women, children, and adolescents, the BI-RADS score may not be reliable.