Why Women Should Have Access to Breast Ultrasound
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In recent years, I’ve noticed most of the patients who come to me for breast thermography want to avoid mammograms.
This has been amazing to see, as more women are saying no to the radiation and compression of mammograms and the harm that comes with them.
What’s more, they’re looking for safer alternatives to prevent breast health issues, like ultrasound.
Thermography is great in this respect, as it works in tandem with an environmentally safe ultrasound.
But women are being denied access to just an ultrasound without first having a mammogram, and in many cases, insurance companies will refuse to pay for only an ultrasound.
With that in mind, let’s dive a bit deeper into the difference between mammograms and breast ultrasound, and explore why women should have access to this innovative form of screening.
Mammograms vs. Breast Ultrasound
Mammography has been the gold standard for decades, but the research continues to show that the harms of this procedure outweigh its benefits.
Here are a few common concerns related to mammograms:
- Over-diagnosis and over-treatment
- False positives and unnecessary procedures
- Radiation exposure and painful compression
- Limited accuracy for women with dense breasts
- Tumors often found years after they start developing
On the other hand, breast ultrasound offers a non-invasive, radiation-free alternative to mammograms, which can:
- Be more comfortable than other breast imaging techniques
- Help determine if breast lumps are fluid-filled or solid
- Offer greater accuracy for women with dense breasts
- Provide additional information to guide biopsies
- Reduce exposure to radiation
Exposing the Truth About Mammograms
I highly recommend the documentary, bOObs: The War on Women’s Breasts, which exposes the reality of mammograms.
Even the trailer, which you’ll find below, offers some eye-opening truths that might surprise you.
Medical experts interviewed in the film discussed the potential harms tied to mammography, including radiation-induced cancers, trauma-related metastases, and avoidable treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, and mastectomies.
It also examines how industry interests and conflicts in medical research have limited broader access to alternative, radiation-free screening methods like thermography and ultrasound.
This documentary offers a couple of much-needed reminders for all women.
The first one is that there are non-invasive ultrasounds available today that can help detect cancer early – without causing harm.
Moreover, it also reminds us that you do have the option to have an ultrasound without a mammogram, even though you may have been told otherwise.
And here are a few places where you can go about doing that:
QT Imaging
The goal of QT Imaging is to provide highly accurate, 100% safe and painless breast imaging that can be used to identify cancer early to minimize invasiveness, increase the effectiveness of treatment, and eliminate unnecessary interventions – like additional imaging and biopsies – for women with benign breast conditions, most notably cysts.
SonoCiné
SonoCiné provides what’s known as Automated Whole Breast Ultrasound (AWBUS), which offers a consistent, repeatable scan of the whole breast including the axilla (underarm/lymph nodes).
HerScan
HerScan is a mobile breast ultrasound screening company that provides much-needed access to breast ultrasound testing with state-of-the-art technology used by highly experienced and certified sonographers and board-certified radiologists.
The HerScan program makes it convenient and affordable for women to be scanned, adding invaluable protection to their annual health routines.
Offering Breast, Upper Body, and Full Body Exams
Contact me to book your thermography appointment today.






