A mammogram is a screening test for breast cancer that basically provides an x-ray of the breast. The breast is compressed between two plates to spread the tissue and allow better detection of possible tumors. Densely packed areas of breast...
Doctors use Cardiolite, with the generic name of technetium Tc99m sestamibi, to help them diagnose problems with the cardiovascular system in patients. The diagnostic drug can help in the detection of coronary artery disease as well as reversible...
Mammograms are screening evaluations of breast tissue. With recent advances in technology, these screening tools have reduced the number of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer at later stages. Combined with the advancements in treatment,...
Nobody understands the importance of regular mammograms more than breast cancer survivors, yet all too often people put off scheduling a mammogram after recovering from cancer care. Part of the reason may be the fact that the last mammogram...
It is not unusual for women to have one breast smaller than the other: Breast asymmetry may occur in half of all women, possibly because of varying amounts of female hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, that affect the size and...
When you visit your gynecologist or doctor for routine care, this usually includes a clinical breast exam. Beginning at age 20, these exams should be done at least every 3 years. At age 40, the exams should be done annually. If you have a family...
VBH, or virginal breast hypertrophy, is a rare condition where the breasts grow at an abnormally rapid rate. The condition also goes by a more general term, juvenile macromastia or juvenile gigantomastia. With VBH, the breasts grow to an...
If the cells located within the breast tissue begin to grow out of control, they can form a tumor or mass. This mass can be benign, but if the cells reproduce with mutations, the mass can become cancerous. Breast cancer can start in the...
Breast exam methods depend on a doctor's recommendation and also include age, risk factors and prior involvement with breast cancer. Breast exams detect and evaluate changes in the breasts and the detection of breast cancer in its early stages,...
According to the Tennessee Breast Center, several anomalies may occur in the breasts at birth, including extra nipples and breast tissue, underdevelopment of the breast and the absence of breasts. The most common congenital abnormality of the...
For many women, hearing the words "abnormal mammogram" sparks immediate concern and worry. Mammograms, which are used as a breast cancer screening tool, should be a normal part of every adult woman's life. And although most mammograms come back...
Spironolactone is a medication used to treat edema (fluid buildup) and hyperaldosteronism (a condition characterized by an imbalance of salt and water in your body). This medication works to get rid of this excess water and sodium in the form of...
Some breast cancer tests may be for preventive purposes, such as a mammogram, while others may be for diagnostic reasons, such as a biopsy. Whatever the reason, it is important for women to know what each test is for and what to expect before...
According to the National Cancer Institute, male breast cancer is generally seen in men who are between the ages of 60 and 70 years old and constitutes less than 1 percent of all breast cancer detected. Family history and high levels of estrogen...
The medical term for pain in the breasts is mastalgia. If you've got it, you're not alone--the Mayo Clinic says that 7 out of 10 women experience breast pain sometime during their lifetime. Although breast pain isn't generally an indication of...
Inflammatory breast cancer is a rare type of breast cancer that grows quickly and usually does not produce a mass or lump in the breast. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, inflammatory breast cancer accounts for 1 to 2 percent of...
Oral contraceptives are a popular choice of birth control for many women, and there are many combinations of hormones, brand names and generic options. One is Yasmin, made of drospirenone and ethinyl estradiol. Yasmin is also available under the...
Breast lumps are growths of tissue that develop in a woman's breast. A breast lump may also be described as a mass, swelling and thickness or fullness, according to the Mayo Clinic. Sometimes breast lumps signal cancer, though most are...
Cortisol is a naturally occurring hormone that is secreted by the adrenal glands located on your kidneys. The levels of cortisol within your body fluctuate normally throughout the day and night. If you develop persistent cortisol imbalances --...
Testosterone is a male reproductive hormone produced by the testes and the adrenal glands. Testosterone is what gives males secondary sex characteristics such as a beard, increased muscle mass and a deeper voice. It also assists with the...
Luveris is the brand name of lutropin alfa, a drug used to help overcome infertility in women. It acts like LH, or luteinizing hormone, a pituitary gland secretion (hormone) that the placenta produces during pregnancy. When a woman is unable to...
The year 2002 changed the way doctors -- and women -- viewed hormone replacement therapy. Hormone replacement therapy was routinely prescribed for women who developed menopausal symptoms and to diseases related to menopause such as heart disease...
In 2011, breast cancer represents the most common serious cancer of women in the United States, with over 200,000 new cases diagnosed every year, according to the National Cancer Institute. Regularly performed breast examination and screening...
Cardiac abnormalities can affect the structure and/or the function of the heart. Some of the abnormalities affect the cardiac muscle layer and interfere with its ability to function. An abnormal structure in the cardiac valves, tumors and abnormal...
A 2010 survey in "Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology Canada" shows that sleep changes during pregnancy. Sleep quality degrades on five parameters from the second trimester to the third trimester in healthy Canadian women. A similar report in...
Exclusive breastfeeding is important for an infant's first six months of life, as breast milk is an ideal food. Supplementing an infant's diet with cow's milk or formula can increase the frequency of anemia, asthma and allergies once the infant...
Being diagnosed with breast cancer can be devastating news. The word "cancer" itself often initiates feelings of fear. However, with advances in medicine and technology, breast cancer death rates are continually on the decrease. This is in part...
Abnormal mammogram results, while alarming, are not uncommon. Between 5 and 10 percent of mammograms demonstrate abnormal results that require additional follow-up, according to the website Abnormalmammogram.net. Most abnormal results are the...
Breast asymmetry surgery is used to correct problems of symmetry between breast. Learn more about breast asymmetry surgery in this video from a professional plastic surgeon.
