Breast ultrasound in Slavuta

When to book a breast ultrasound

Before a period, the breasts swell and the tissue becomes denser and more tender. After the period the swelling goes down, so a routine scan is best booked for days 5–12 from the start of bleeding. If your cycle is irregular or you take hormonal contraception, choose the days just after your period ends. After menopause you can have the scan any time. During pregnancy and breastfeeding, it’s done when your doctor orders it. To find out why the cycle day affects the result so much, read our article on when to have a breast ultrasound.

These timings apply only to routine checks. If you notice a new lump, nipple discharge (especially with blood), a pulled-in nipple or skin, or a lump in your armpit, book an appointment with a mammologist within the next few days without waiting for the right cycle day. If your breast becomes red, hot and painful and you have a fever, see a doctor the same day.

How often to repeat the ultrasound is decided by a mammologist or gynecologist, based on your age, family history and previous results. If your mother or sister has had breast cancer, your doctor may suggest starting checks earlier and having them more often.

What happens during the scan

You don’t need a referral, and there’s no special preparation: you can eat and drink as usual. You undress to the waist and lie on your back with one arm behind your head. The doctor applies gel and examines each breast and armpit in turn. The gel may feel cool, and the pressure of the probe can be unpleasant in a tender spot. Tell the doctor if you take hormonal medicines or are breastfeeding, as this affects how the tissue looks.

Bring reports from previous ultrasounds or mammograms. The doctor will compare them with the new findings and see whether anything has changed.

Ultrasound or mammogram, and what to do with the report

Ultrasound uses no radiation and is good at telling a fluid-filled cyst from a solid lump. Young women have dense breast tissue, so under 40 ultrasound usually comes first. A mammogram is an X-ray image that shows tiny calcium deposits, which are harder to see on ultrasound. In Ukraine, screening mammograms are recommended for women aged 50–69 every two years, and after 40 a doctor may order one for a medical reason. Viva Clinic has no X-ray equipment, so for a mammogram your doctor will refer you to another facility. If a lump needs a closer look, the doctor may order a fine-needle aspiration or a biopsy.

Discuss your ultrasound result with a mammologist. The Viva Clinic mammologist sees patients at 27a Sobornosti St or 3 Danyla Halytskoho St, and the exact address is confirmed when you book. The doctor will examine your breasts, compare the report with previous results and tell you whether you need follow-up. A gynecologist also examines the breasts at a routine visit. If the scan found fibrocystic changes, read about fibrocystic breast changes and how they’re monitored.

Between check-ups, examine your breasts yourself once a month so you notice anything new early: a few days after your period, or on the same day each month after menopause.

Breast ultrasound is paid. It’s done in Slavuta, so there’s no need to travel to Khmelnytskyi or Kyiv. At the same polyclinic you can also have other ultrasounds and diagnostic tests.