Breast Ultrasound

	On ultrasound, problem areas show up as dark spots. The almost perfectly round spot in the top scan is a cyst. The dark area in the bottom scan is cancer.

Breast ultrasound is a diagnostic tool available through breast imaging services at Mayo Clinic. We use some of the most sophisticated ultrasound equipment available, and our physicians and radiology technologists are specially trained in this type of breast imaging. Breast ultrasound can help determine if a lump found during a breast exam or mammogram is a fluid-filled sac (cyst) or a solid tumor.

Ultrasound uses sound waves to create a picture of breast tissue and project it onto a computer screen. During the painless procedure, a small pad called a transducer, which sends and receives sound waves, is moved across the breast. The computer then analyzes the sound waves and creates an image of the breast tissue.

Mayo Jacksonville technicians do about 2,200 breast ultrasounds each year. Our physicians also do cyst aspirations and minimally invasive breast biopsies under ultrasound guidance. Annual training in cutting-edge technology keeps our experienced staff at the forefront of the breast-imaging field.