Mammo/US results came in mail! Any ideas? LONG

[Guest guest]

I'm scheduled for my stereotatic biopsy on Monday but yesterday I got

the mammo/US results in the mail. I was a little shocked because I

didn't know they'd be coming. Also the " medicalese " are hard to

decipher. I realize that nobody here is a doc or a medical person but

can I still list the impression and get any opinions? I just feel a

little lost. I've tried to find the definitions for hyperechoic and

hypoechoic. The report is kinda long so hope it is ok to post it here:

" The right breast is heterogeneously dense and complex, thereby

limiting the sensitivity of this exam. Specifically a mass or a

pathological calcification may be obscured.

In the upper outer quadrant of the right breast, there is an

approximately 2.5 x 4 cm area of increased density with associated

microcalcifications. This corresponds with the area of palpable

change. Calcifications are also seen in the lower inner quadrant of

the right breast more anteriorly.

Ultrasound evaluation of the right breast was performed with attention

to the palpable abnormality at the 9 o'clock position. There is no

focal or dominant mass identified. There is a heterogeneous

hyperechoic area measuring 3 x 2.5 x 1.2 cm which corresponds directly

with the area of palpable change. A few small benign-appearing

hypoechoic foci area seen within this area. THe sonographic

appearance is most suggestive of fibrocystic breast tissue. The right

axilla was scanned revealing no sonographic evidence for

pathologically enlarged nodes. There is architectural distortion

laterally but this appears stable compared back to 2002 and may relate

to the patient's previous mastopexy 1996.

IMPRESSION: 2.5 x 4 cm area of increased density, upper outer

quadrant of the right breast with associated microcalcifications and

corresponding with the area of palpable change. Since the sonographic

findings are relatively benign, core biopsy will be performed

stereotactically.

Calcifications in the lower quadrant of the right breast.

Stereotactic-guided mammotome core biopsy recommended and this can be

performed same day. Please note that preceding the biopsies,

magnification views of the right breast, particularly of hte anterior

retroareolar region should be performed.

ASSESSMENT: Category 4 - suspicious abnormality - biopsy should be

considered.

SO if you read throug it all congrats! Any help? impressions? What is

category 4? Is it the same as birad 4? Also if the mass is cancer is

that considered large?

Thanks

BBC (bosom buddy club)

remember I'm a 10 year cancer survivor left breast paget's w/

mastectomy and TRAM reconstruction