Can a mammogram miss a Mass?

Understanding the aggressive breast cancers missed by mammogram screening. About 20% to 30% of women with breast cancer have tumors that are missed by mammogram screening. And these interval breast cancers – discovered between routine mammograms – seem to be more lethal than those detected by screening.

What is an obscured mass in breast?

An obscured mass is a mass with greater than 25% of its margin hidden by surrounding fibroglandular tissue on mammography; hence, it cannot be fully assessed. This term is commonly used when the portion of the margin that is visualized is circumscribed and it usually implies a lower likelihood of malignancy.

What are abnormal findings on mammogram?

Abnormal mammogram results occur when breast imaging detects an irregular area of the breast that has the potential to be malignant. This could come in the form of small white spots called calcifications, lumps or tumors called masses, and other suspicious areas.

What cancers do mammograms miss?

False-negative results Overall, screening mammograms miss about 1 in 8 breast cancers. Women with dense breasts are more likely to get false-negative results. False-negative mammograms can give women a false sense of security, thinking that they don’t have breast cancer when in fact they do.

What does a breast MRI show that a mammogram does not?

Recent research has found that MRI can locate some small breast lesions sometimes missed by mammography. It can also help detect breast cancer in women with breast implants and in younger women who tend to have dense breast tissue. Mammography may not be as effective in these cases.

What does a mass look like on mammogram?

The radiologist will look for areas of white, high-density tissue and note its size, shape, and edges. A lump or tumor will show up as a focused white area on a mammogram. Tumors can be cancerous or benign. If a tumor is benign, it is not a health risk and is unlikely to grow or change shape.

Can a Microlobulated mass be benign?

Circumscribed oval and round masses are usually benign. An irregular shape suggests a greater likelihood of malignancy. The margins can be described as circumscribed, microlobulated, obscured (partially hidden by adjacent tissue), indistinct (ill-defined), or spiculated (characterized by lines radiating from the mass).

What does a dense mass in the breast mean?

Breast density is a term that describes the relative amount of these different types of breast tissue as seen on a mammogram. Dense breasts have relatively high amounts of glandular tissue and fibrous connective tissue and relatively low amounts of fatty breast tissue.

What does calcification on a mammogram mean?

Although breast calcifications are usually noncancerous (benign), certain patterns of calcifications — such as tight clusters with irregular shapes and fine appearance — may indicate breast cancer or precancerous changes to breast tissue.