Breast Ultrasound (Sonomammography) in Dadar West, Mumbai

At a Glance

What a breast ultrasound shows

A breast ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make live pictures of the breast and armpit, with no radiation and no compression. Patients also call it breast sonography, USG breast or sonomammography (स्तन की सोनोग्राफी / स्तनाची सोनोग्राफी).

Ultrasound does not reliably show tiny specks of calcium (microcalcifications), which can be the earliest sign of some breast cancers; a mammogram shows these. That is why ultrasound does not replace a mammogram.

• Whether a lump is a simple fluid-filled cyst or solid
• Features that suggest a common harmless lump, such as a fibroadenoma, and features that mean a biopsy is advisable
• Its size and exact position (clock-face position and distance from the nipple), so it can be re-checked later
• Lymph nodes in the armpit (axilla)
• The milk ducts behind the nipple, when there is nipple discharge
• Infection or a collection of pus (abscess), often while breastfeeding
• Blood flow inside a lump, using colour Doppler

Sonomammography vs mammography: which test do you need?

A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray; sonomammography is an ultrasound. They see different things, so the choice depends on your age, symptoms and whether you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Your doctor and the radiologist decide; the usual pattern is:

• Under 30: ultrasound is usually the first test for a lump, and often the only one needed.
• 30 to 39: ultrasound, a mammogram or both may be used; the radiologist advises which is needed.
• 40 and over: a lump is usually checked with both a mammogram and a targeted ultrasound.
• Pregnant or breastfeeding, at any age: ultrasound is the first test. A mammogram can still be done safely if the ultrasound shows something that needs it.
• Routine screening with no symptoms (commonly from 40): the mammogram is the screening test. Ultrasound is an add-on, not a substitute.
• Dense breasts on a mammogram: ultrasound may be added. It can find some cancers hidden in dense tissue, but also more harmless spots that need follow-up, so discuss it with your doctor.

If your prescription is unclear, send it on WhatsApp and our team will confirm what to book.

When doctors request a breast ultrasound

Most breast lumps turn out to be harmless, but every new lump should be checked. Common reasons for a referral include:

• A new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit
• Pain in one particular spot that does not settle (general pain that comes and goes with periods usually does not need a scan)
• Nipple discharge from one duct that happens on its own, especially if it is clear or blood-stained
• Redness, swelling and pain while breastfeeding, to look for an abscess
• Skin dimpling, or a nipple that has recently turned inwards
• A finding on a mammogram that needs a closer look
• Follow-up of a lump previously reported as "probably benign" (BI-RADS 3)

How to prepare

A breast ultrasound needs very little preparation. Our team confirms the exact preparation when you book on WhatsApp.

• No fasting and no full bladder are needed.
• Wear a two-piece outfit (a kurta or blouse with trousers, a skirt or a salwar), as you will only need to undress from the waist up.
• Bring previous mammograms, ultrasound reports, CDs and any biopsy reports; comparison with older scans often answers the question.
• Tell us about any previous breast surgery, biopsy or breast implants.
• If you are also having a mammogram the same day, do not apply deodorant, talc or powder to the breasts or armpits.
• If breastfeeding, feed or express shortly before the scan; it is more comfortable and the pictures are clearer.
• For a routine check, the week after a period is often more comfortable, but do not delay a scan for a new lump.
• Tell us if you are, or might be, pregnant. This matters before any mammogram or X-ray.

What happens during the scan

You lie on your back with one arm raised behind your head, sometimes turned slightly onto your side. Dr. Vaishnavi Bansal performs the scan herself: she will ask exactly where you feel the lump or pain, examine that area in detail, and check the rest of the breast and the armpit as needed.

Gel is applied and a small handheld probe is moved over the skin. No injection or contrast dye is used. It is not painful, though you may feel firm pressure over a tender area. The scan usually takes about 15-30 minutes, and you can return to work, drive and breastfeed straight afterwards.

Your report and what BI-RADS means

BI-RADS (Breast Imaging-Reporting and Data System) is a standard reporting language published by the American College of Radiology, so your surgeon or gynaecologist reads the result in the same terms wherever the scan was done.

Your report describes where each finding is, its size and its features, and gives a BI-RADS category with the suggested next step:

• 0: incomplete; more imaging or old scans are needed.
• 1: negative; nothing abnormal seen.
• 2: benign; a harmless finding, such as a simple cyst.
• 3: probably benign; instead of a biopsy, follow-up scans, usually at about 6 months and then at intervals for up to 2 years.
• 4: suspicious; a biopsy is advised, though many turn out harmless.
• 5: highly suggestive of cancer; a biopsy is advised.
• 6: cancer already confirmed on biopsy, used during treatment.

A category is not a diagnosis; only a biopsy can confirm whether a lump is cancer, and your doctor explains the result alongside your symptoms and examination. A normal scan is reassuring, but no test is perfect: if a lump persists or changes, go back to your doctor, as a lump that feels suspicious may still need a biopsy. Most reports the same day, sent to your WhatsApp.

If a biopsy is needed

If a lump looks suspicious (BI-RADS 4 or 5), the next step is a small tissue sample. This can be done at AV Scan under ultrasound guidance, with the live scan guiding the needle into the lump.

The skin is numbed with local anaesthetic and a hollow needle takes a few thin samples of tissue; sometimes, for example for an armpit lymph node, a fine needle sample (FNAC) is used instead. You go home the same day with a small dressing. Some bruising and soreness for a few days is common; contact your doctor if bleeding does not stop with firm pressure, or if swelling increases or you develop a fever. The pathology result takes longer than a scan report; our team will tell you when to expect it.

Tell us beforehand if you take a blood thinner such as aspirin, clopidogrel or warfarin, or have a bleeding disorder. Do not stop a blood thinner on your own; your doctor will advise.

Breast ultrasound at AV Scan, Dadar West

Ground Floor (step-free entrance), Shilpa Apartment, Shankar Ghanekar Marg, Dadar West / Prabhadevi, near Shivaji Park and Siddhivinayak Temple. WhatsApp or call +91 98200 51511, or book online.

• Performed and reported by Dr. Vaishnavi Bansal, MD (Radiology), FMF (UK) certified
• 3D mammography (Fujifilm Amulet Innovality) in the same visit when both are needed; Dr. Vaishnavi Bansal reports both
• Ultrasound systems at the centre: GE Voluson E10 and Philips Affiniti 70G
• Ultrasound-guided breast biopsy at the centre, if one is needed
• The exact price is confirmed on WhatsApp before your visit
• Cashless with most major insurers and TPAs; empanelled for CGHS, ECHS and MJPJAY
• Open Monday to Saturday 8am-10pm and Sunday 8am-5pm