USG Breast (Both)
A focused scan for Breast tissue, Lumps, Cysts.
Overview
Examines Breast tissue, Lumps, Cysts. Performed at an NABL-accredited Meridian Health centre with a same-day report and a free doctor review.
The full panel
3 areas across 1 groupEvery parameter, grouped by body system — no clicking to expand.
What this scan measures
Both breasts and the armpits, scanned with a high-frequency probe. It distinguishes solid lumps from fluid-filled cysts with great reliability, describes the shape, margins and orientation of any lesion, assesses its blood flow, and examines the axillary lymph nodes.
Ultrasound is the first-line breast imaging test in women under about 40 and in pregnancy or while breastfeeding, because young breast tissue is dense and shows up white on a mammogram, which hides lesions. It is also used to characterise anything felt on examination or seen on a mammogram, and to guide a needle biopsy.
Symptoms that lead to this scan
- A new lump or thickening in the breast or armpit
- Localised breast pain or tenderness
- Nipple discharge
- An abnormality seen on a mammogram needing characterisation
- A breast lump during pregnancy or breastfeeding
Understanding your results
A simple cyst has such a characteristic appearance that it can usually be called benign with confidence and needs nothing further unless it is painful. Solid lesions are described using standardised features and given a BI-RADS category that carries a recommendation — routine follow-up, short-interval repeat, or biopsy. Ultrasound cannot reliably detect the microcalcifications that mammography picks up, which is why the two tests complement rather than replace each other, and why ultrasound alone is not used for population screening.
Why the preparation matters
No preparation, no fasting, and nothing to avoid — unlike mammography, deodorant and talc do not affect ultrasound. Wear a two-piece outfit so only the upper half needs removing. If the scan is for a lump you have found, point it out at the start; the sonographer will scan that exact spot with the probe and, if it is a normal area of breast tissue, can often show you why.
Ultrasound — safety and who should not be scanned
Full Ultrasound guideUltrasound uses sound waves, not radiation, and there is no known harmful effect at diagnostic settings — it is the only cross-sectional modality used freely in pregnancy and repeatedly in children. Operators still follow the ALARA principle, using the lowest output for the shortest time needed, particularly in obstetric scanning. There is nothing to recover from and no restriction afterwards. The main limitation is not safety but operator dependence: the quality of an ultrasound depends heavily on the person holding the probe.
- No absolute contraindications
- There is no medical reason ultrasound cannot be performed on anyone, at any age, including in pregnancy. The limitations below are about image quality and consent rather than harm.
- Open wounds, burns or dressings over the area
- The probe needs direct contact with skin through gel, so a recent surgical wound, a burn, an ulcer or a plaster cast over the region may make the scan impossible or require it to be deferred until the dressing can be removed.
- Bowel gas and body habitus
- Sound does not travel through gas, so gas-filled bowel can obscure the pancreas, aorta and pelvic organs, and depth reduces resolution in larger patients. Fasting and a full bladder are used to improve the window; where the view remains inadequate, a CT or MRI is recommended instead.
- Transvaginal or transrectal scanning requires consent
- Internal probes give far better resolution of the pelvis, but they are always optional. They are not used without explicit consent, and a transabdominal approach is offered instead — including where an internal scan would be inappropriate.
- Not a substitute for mammography in screening
- Ultrasound complements mammography rather than replacing it: it cannot reliably show the microcalcifications that mammography detects. For symptomatic assessment in younger women it is the correct first test; for population screening it is not.
- Fetal sex determination is illegal in India
- Under the PCPNDT Act, no person or centre may disclose the sex of a fetus at any stage, and no request for it will be entertained. This applies to every obstetric scan and does not affect any other part of the examination or its report.
Who should consider this scan
- Women under 40 with a breast lump or symptom
- Pregnant or breastfeeding women with a breast concern
- Anyone with dense breasts on a previous mammogram
- Women recalled after a mammogram for further assessment
- Anyone needing an image-guided breast biopsy
Conditions it helps detect
How it works
Patient stories
96% recommend“The phlebotomist arrived exactly on time and was gentle. My report came in five hours with a doctor’s note.”
“Booked at night, sample collected next morning. The parameter breakdown is genuinely thorough.”
“Loved the free doctor review — she walked me through my vitamin D and thyroid results clearly.”