Symptomatic Clinics
The symptomatic breast clinic service is open to both women and men, of all ages, for any breast symptoms from experiencing pain to feeling a lump in the breast or axilla. The symptomatic service is provided through your local hospital for any breast related symptoms like pain, nipple discharge, lump, change in shape or any other concern. The first point of contact is your local GP who would assess you and could refer you to our symptomatic service for an expert opinion. The symptomatic assessment usually includes a clinical examination and some imaging which could be a mammogram and or an ultrasound examination or both. You may require further imaging assessment based on the outcome of your initial ultrasound and mammograms.
1) Imaging- This includes mammogram, ultrasound, CT, MRI and other diagnostic tests. An appointment and other instructions on what this involves and what to expect shall be explained to you in your appointment letter.
a) Mammograms- This is an X-ray of the breast. Here is a link of video demonstration of what to expect -
https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=u+tube+mammogram&view=detail&mid=23A68E37B11E9F6A685423A68E37B11E9F6A6854&FORM=VIRE
What happens at your HOSPITAL breast screening appointment? - YouTube
Some advise on how to get a pain free mammogram
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QO6HgbSXap0
b) Ultrasound- This is the same scan like pregnancy ultrasound. Ultrasound allows us to observe any changes in the breast tissue and movements inside any organ. Here is a video demonstration link on what to expect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yUY2aGpogGc
c) CT Scan- This uses the X-rays to take pictures of the inside of our body. Here is a link on what to expect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHu9aa0QDiE
d) MRI scan- This uses magnetic field to take picture of the inside of our body. Here is a link on what to expect in breast MRI
What is a breast MRI and what happens during this exam? - YouTube
and Spine MRI
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JlrZJorLVek
e) Nuclear medicine- This uses radioactive dyes to assess disease in various organs in our body.
Here is a link on what to expect
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ElahTapGQyA
e) Imaging guided interventional procedures- Mammogram machine, ultrasound, CT and MRI are also used to obtain a tissue sample from an area that looks different. The procedure is called biopsy and the tissue sample is sent to a lab for assessment by the pathologist to confirm if the tissue is normal or abnormal. Here is a link on what to expect in
Ultrasound guided breast biopsy
Breast Intervention: How I Do It - YouTube
Mammogram machine guide biopsy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YPUqKTqTV5s
MR guided breast biopsy
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ocMJKM3Erw