Private Breast Ultrasound

Sonoworld offers affordable, private  breast ultrasounds to diagnose any lumps you might have found in your breasts and to exclude tumours such as ductal carcinoma in situ.

Breast Ultrasound

The breast ultrasound is the first line of investigation for women who have found breast lumps. Lumps in the breasts are very common in women, and the breast ultrasound scan is the easiest and fastest way to evaluate these lumps and reduce anxiety caused by not knowing.

Ultrasound is the best choice for early detection and in determining if a lump is solid (which may be a non-cancerous lump or a cancerous tumour) or a fluid-filled sac such as a benign cyst. 

The breast scan uses sound waves to produce pictures of the internal structures of the breast. It is primarily used to help diagnose breast lumps or other abnormalities your doctor may have found during a physical exam, mammogram, or breast MRI. Ultrasound scans are safe, non-invasive and do not use ionizing radiation.

private ultrasound scans in London

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What is the Cost of a Private Breast Scan in London?

Sonoworld offers affordable ultrasound services in London with clear pricing.

The price of breast ultrasound in our Harley Street breast clinic is:

Price:  £175.00 (Bilateral - Both Breasts £246)

Book Your Ultrasound Appointment

Why would you need a breasts ultrasound?

The breast ultrasound scan may be performed in the investigation of a number of problems, including:

  • If you experience symptoms such as a breast lump, lumpiness, texture change, nipple discharge
  • A change in mammograms or MRI that needs further evaluation
  • Check-ups of previously diagnosed non-cancerous breast lumps
  • You experience breast pain
  • To see if breast lumps are cysts or solid
  • To check breast implants and surrounding breast tissue
  • Prophylactic examination
  • If you are breastfeeding and experience breast symptoms
  • History of breast cancer
  • Breast Check

Visit our blog article to find out how to do a self-breast exam.

How to prepare for the Breast Scan?

No preparation is required for the breast ultrasound test.

What to Expect During an Ultrasound Test of the breasts?

Before the breast ultrasound scan, the consultant sonographer will explain the examination procedure. You will be asked to lie on the examination couch and expose your breasts, and you may be asked to raise your arm above your head. A small amount of ultrasound gel will be placed on your skin and a small ultrasound probe will be used to obtain images of the breast tissue.  You might see red and blue colours on the screen, but this is nothing to worry about, and it is what is called colour Doppler ultrasound. Once the imaging is completed, the clear ultrasound gel will be wiped off your skin. The ultrasound gel does not stain or discolour clothing.
During and after the breast ultrasound examination, our sonographer will explain the findings and a digital ultrasound report will be sent to you by 10am the day after.

What happens after the scan?

At the end of the examination, we will discuss the findings with you, we will answer any questions, and we will provide you with a digital report by 10am the next day for your medical records.

After the scan, you will be able to continue your day as usual.

What if an abnormality is seen during the private ultrasound?

If an abnormality such as tumour is seen during the examination, our sonographer will be able to advice and recommend the necessary follow-up process and investigations such as an FNA (fine needle aspiration) or needle biopsy to evaluate if the mass is benign or malignant.

Breast Ultrasound 

Found a lump on your breasts? Worried about being breast cancer? Book a scan today using our online booking system.

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private breast imaging

What is a breast ultrasound?

Breast ultrasound is safe and painless and produces pictures of the inside of the breast using sound waves. The breast examination involves the use of a small transducer (probe) and ultrasound gel that a healthcare professional will position, direct in the skin. High-frequency sound waves are transmitted from the probe through the gel into the body. The transducer collects the sounds that bounce back, and the computer uses those sound waves to create an internal image of the breast without the need for radiation. 

During a breast ultrasound examination, the specialists sonographers or consultant radiologist performing the test may use Doppler techniques to evaluate blood flow or lack of flow in any breast mass. In some cases, this may provide additional information as to the cause of the mass.

Many studies have shown that ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can help supplement mammography by detecting breast cancers that may not be visible with mammography. MRI is more sensitive than ultrasound in picking up breast cancer, but MRI may not be available to all women. If breast cancer screening MRI is performed, then screening ultrasound is not needed, although breastscreen ultrasound may still be used to characterize and biopsy abnormalities which were seen on MRI.

When ultrasound is used for screening, abnormalities not visible with mammography may be identified, including some that may require breast biopsy. Many of the abnormalities found with screening breast ultrasound are not cancer (false positives), but breast US allows for a full examination.

Ultrasound can be offered as a screening tool for women who:

  • Are at high risk for breast cancer and unable to undergo an MRI examination.
  • Are pregnant or should not be exposed to x-rays (which is necessary for a mammogram).
  • Have increased breast density— when the breasts have a lot of glandular and connective tissue and not much fatty tissue.

What are the benefits of the breast scanning?

There are many benefits of a private breast ultrasound. First and foremost, a private breast ultrasound can provide a woman with peace of mind. It can be used to screen for breast cancer, which is the second leading cause of cancer death in women. Additionally, a private breast ultrasound can be used to detect other problems such as cysts, benign tumors, and infections. Additionally, a private breast ultrasound can be used to monitor the progress of breast implants.

The main benefits of breast ultrasound are:

  • Breast scanning is non-invasive (no needles or injections).
  • Is widely available, easy-to-use and less expensive than other imaging methods.
  • Is extremely safe and does not use any ionizing radiation.
  • Gives a clear picture of soft tissues that do not show up well on x-ray images.
  • Provides real-time imaging, making it a good tool for guiding minimally invasive procedures such as needle biopsies and fluid aspiration.
  • Can help detect lesions in women with dense breasts.
  • May help detect and classify a breast lesion that cannot be interpreted adequately through mammography alone.
  • Using ultrasound, sonographers are able to determine that many areas of clinical concern are due to normal tissue (such as fat lobules) or benign cysts. For most women 30 years of age and older, a mammogram will be used together with ultrasound. For women under age 30, ultrasound alone is often sufficient to determine whether an area of concern needs a biopsy or not.

 

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What are the risks of the breast ultrasound examination?

  • For a standard diagnostic breast ultrasound, there are no known harmful effects on humans.
  • Interpretation of a breast ultrasound examination may lead to additional procedures such as follow-up ultrasound and/or aspiration or biopsy. Many of the areas thought to be of concern turn out to be non-cancerous.

What are the limitations of breast scanning?

  • Breast ultrasound is dependent on the expertise and experience of the operator not available to all clinic offering breast scans.
  • Ultrasound is one of the tools used in breast imaging, but it does not replace annual mammography.
  • Some calcifications seen on mammography cannot be seen on ultrasound.
  • Some early breast cancers only show up as calcifications on mammography.
  • MRI findings that are due to cancer are not always seen with ultrasound.
  • A biopsy may be recommended to determine if a suspicious abnormality is a cancer or not.
  • Some suspicious findings on an ultrasound scan that require biopsy are not cancers.
  • Many clinics do not offer ultrasound screening, and the procedure may not be covered by some insurance plans.

Private breast ultrasound without referral.

Unlike an NHS hospital breast ultrasound scan, a doctor's referral is not necessary for a private breast scan in our clinic. You can book your breast ultrasound scan by using our online booking system or by calling us.

Can you detect breast cancer with an ultrasound?

The breast ultrasound scan is the best way to find out if the lump is solid (i.e a benign fibroadenoma or cancer) or fluid-filled such as a benign cyst). FNA (Fine Needle Aspiration) will be required to confirm if a solid lump is cancerous.

Is it easy to make a breast screening appointment privately?

Arranging an appointment at Sonoworld for a breast ultrasound scan is simple. We can arrange an appointment at a convenient time for you on the phone, or you can choose your appointment using our online booking schedule. Same-day appointments are usually available if you are experiencing symptoms, and you need rapid answers. 

Book a breast imaging test without a referral?

 You can book a private breast ultrasound in our clinic without a GP referral.

 

 

Price:  £175.00 (Bilateral - Both Breasts £246)

 

Sonoworld offers a wide range of private ultrasound examinations and other health tests, including private ultrasound for women as well as pregnancy scan such as pelvic scan and abdominal ultrasound.

Breast Imaging Facts

1. A breast ultrasound is a diagnostic imaging test that uses high-frequency sound waves to create pictures of the inside of the breast.
2. The test is used to evaluate lumps or masses that can be seen on a mammogram or felt as a lump.
3. It can also be used to assess the results of a biopsy.
4. A breast ultrasound is usually performed by a radiologist, a doctor who specializes in interpreting medical images.
5. The test takes about 30 minutes.
6. You will lie on your back on an exam table.
7. A gel will be applied to your skin.
8. A handheld device called a transducer will be moved over your breast.
9. The transducer emits sound waves that bounce off breast tissue.
10. The waves are converted into electrical impulses that are then displayed on a computer screen.

Statistics

1. In the United Kingdom, breast cancer is the most common cancer, with around 55,000 new cases diagnosed each year.
2. In London, there are an estimated 9,700 new cases of breast cancer each year.
3. Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in women in the UK, after lung cancer.
4. Around 12,000 women die from breast cancer each year in the UK.
5. In London, there are an estimated 2,700 deaths from breast cancer each year.
6. The chance of a woman developing breast cancer sometime in her life is about 1 in 8.
7. The chance of a woman dying from breast cancer is about 1 in 28.
8. In the UK, breast cancer rates have been increasing since the early 1990s.
9. In London, breast cancer rates have been increasing since the early 1990s.

 

 

References:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breast_ultrasound 

https://breasthealthuk.com/

https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/breast-cancer/getting-diagnosed/tests-diagnose/breast-ultrasound

https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/screening-tests-and-early-detection/breast-ultrasound.html

https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-ultrasound

 

About The Author

Daniela Stan, MSc Medical Ultrasound

Specialties: MSK, Breast, Abdomen, Small Parts, Gynaecology/Obstetrics and Vascular.

Daniela Stan is a London based NHS and Private Consultant Sonographer, with more than 20 years’ experience in Healthcare. She holds a degree from the University of Medicine and Pharmacy Carol Davilla, Bucharest, Romania and a Medical Doctor Licence in Family Medicine.
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