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Mammogram Results: Understanding Benign Findings - 40-Year-Old Woman


Question
I am a 40 yo woman.  No family history of breast cancer.  Went in for baseline mammogram.  Here are findings:
Bilateral mammograms demonstrate heterogeneous parenchyma.  This can limit sensitivity of mammography.  There is a small ovoid shaped intramammary lymph node within the middle third right breast centrally with lucent notch.  No dominant mass or suspicious calcification.  No secondary signs of malignancy.

Impression: THERE IS NO MAMMOGRAPHIC EVIDENCE TO SUGGEST MALIGNANCY.  BIRADS CATEGORY 2: BENIGN FINIDING

In the absence of new clinical findings or change in breast self exam routine mammographic follow up recommended.

My question is this: is the Benign finding a reasonable interpretation of the mammogram results?  My doctor's office told me to follow up in a year with another mammogram.  Should I do something else like get a second opinion?  Thanks so much.

Answer
Since the report clearly states that your breasts due to the nature of their tissues are difficult to investigate with mammography, your mammograms should ALWAYS - now and in the future - be complemented with breast MRI scans and ultrasound scans and any unclear lesion seen should always be further investigated with at least a needle biopsy! This should be done now and also regularly in the future, say once a year. Otherwise the report seems ok, so I think the diagnosis benign is reasonable at the moment.
But the program above including mammograms should be followed in the future (and also now).