According to statistics, in 2018, the number of breast cancer patients in the world increased by 2.089 million, and the number of deaths was as high as 627,000. In the ranking of tumors, the incidence and mortality of breast cancer are the first among female cancers. Seeing these materials, many women are worried about it. Fortunately, if early-stage breast cancer is treated in time, it often has a good prognosis, and more than 90% of patients can survive for a long time. Breast ultrasound can be used to detect breast cancer at an early stage. However, in the face of ultrasound reports, many people cannot understand them directly. What should I do?
Here is a coup for you. As long as you know the 7 numbers in the ultrasound report, you can have a general understanding of your own condition.
The standard breast ultrasound report will usually see the word “BI-RADS” in the “ultrasound diagnosis”. What is prompted here is the imaging manifestations of breast nodules in the ultrasound image, which is the basis for judging breast cancer. It is displayed as “BI-RADS+number” in the ultrasound diagnosis report, for example, “right breast nodule, BI-RADS3”. The larger the number, the greater the possibility of breast cancer. “BI-RADS” includes 7 categories, corresponding to the numbers 0 to 6, representing different degrees of benign and malignant tendencies and clinical treatment strategies. So what exactly do 0～6 mean in the ultrasound report?
The number 0: indicates that further examination is required. 0 does not mean that there is no breast disease. It really means that there is suspected disease, but ultrasound examination is difficult to evaluate; it is recommended to combine other imaging examination methods, such as breast MRI, mammography, etc. Therefore, when you see 0, don’t mistakenly think that everything is going well. You should follow the doctor’s recommendations for other imaging examinations to gain a deeper understanding of the condition of the breast.
Number 1: Indicates that the safety ultrasound examination did not show suspicious nodules, so you can relax and the ultrasound examination is all right! However, for women over 35 years old, this is just a preliminary breast screening. If the mammogram is matched with the mammogram and the test result is still 1, you can really relax.
Number 2: It also means that although there are breast nodules in the safety ultrasound examination, they are benign, and there is usually no possibility of malignancy. If there are no major lesions, there is no need to deal with it, just insist on regular review.
Number 3: It means that it is safer. Ultrasound examination shows that breast nodules tend to be benign, but there is less than 2% possibility of malignancy. It is called safer because such nodules should be continuously observed or followed up for about 6 months. If the nodules become significantly larger in a short period of time, or their ultrasound imaging findings are significantly changed, be careful that they may change. Malignant. Individual malignant breast cancers may be classified as “3” at an early stage through ultrasound examination. Of course, if the subject is a young woman, the possibility of breast nodules being malignant is very small; but women over 40 years old should be more careful and insist on a follow-up of 3 to 6 months.
Number 4: There may be danger facing this number should be given enough attention. Ultrasound examination showed that the breast nodules were suspected of being malignant, and there were some signs similar to breast cancer. Combined with the amount of “evidence” collected from ultrasound images, this category is specifically divided into “4a, 4b, 4c”. 4a indicates that the malignant risk of breast nodules ranges from 2% to 10%, that is, there may be low-grade malignancy, and of course the possibility of benignity is also higher. In clinical practice, some doctors will require 4a patients to undergo a biopsy, and some doctors will require 3 to 6 months of observation for re-examination. Similarly, age here is also very important. If you are over 40 years old, doctors often require biopsy or other imaging methods. 4b and 4c indicate that the malignancy may be 10%-50%, 50%-95%. Clinically, these two classifications require in-depth treatment, usually requiring a biopsy first and confirming the pathological diagnosis before considering surgical treatment options.
Number 5: The risk is greater. This number indicates that the malignant risk of breast nodules exceeds 95%, which means that breast cancer is diagnosed with a high probability. Faced with such a result, it is necessary to seek help from a breast surgeon, through a personalized treatment plan, early treatment without delay.
Number 6: It is confirmed that it is breast cancer. This number means that the biopsy has proved that the subject has a malignant tumor, that is, the pathological results of the biopsy prove that they have breast cancer, and then contact the oncology department or breast surgeon for treatment.
The above provides you with a tip for scientifically interpreting breast ultrasound reports. You can quickly grasp the status of your breast nodules from the numbers in the ultrasound report, so that you can know it well and deal with it calmly. It is particularly emphasized here that as a means of imaging examination, ultrasound examination is often influenced by the examining doctor and examination equipment. It is highly subjective, and the follow-up response of the patient may also lead to changes in the condition of the patient’s own condition, which may lead to breast nodules. The change of section category means that the category may rise and fall. At the same time, even if the result is the same, if the age is different, the treatment method is also different. Individual women still need to cooperate with other methods for breast imaging examination. Therefore, you should further consult your breast doctor for relevant suggestions based on your own situation.
