Thank you for your interest in the SoftVue dense breast imaging exam!
SoftVue is a brand name for 3D breast ultrasound tomography, which is a next generation ultrasound exam that creates multilayered, multidimensional images of your breast. This exam can be paired with your yearly screening mammogram to find up to 20% more cancer if you have been diagnosed with dense breasts.
Read more about dense breast tissue.
Yes, it’s very important to get a screening mammogram annually starting at 40. If you do not have dense breasts, a mammogram is the only screening exam for breast cancer you will need.
Breasts consist of fatty tissue and fibroglandular tissue. If you have more fibroglandular tissue than fatty tissue, your breasts are considered dense. See our Dense Breast Tissue page for more detailed information.
A mammogram can tell you if you have dense breasts. Mammogram reports are required to give you information on your breast density. It is not possible to tell if you have dense breasts by feeling or looking. The condition is very common: about 50% of women have dense breasts. If you have already had a mammogram at ARA, your breast density will be noted on the report. Your breasts are considered dense if your most recent report indicates that they are “heterogeneously dense” or “extremely dense.”
When you talk to your healthcare provider about screening for breast cancer, ask what you should do if your screening mammogram shows that you have dense breasts. Your provider may want you to have supplemental screening, like ultrasound or SoftVue, and can give you an exam referral. At ARA, you can schedule your mammogram and SoftVue exam back-to-back, saving time and effort.
Having dense breasts does raise your risk for breast cancer somewhat. If you have heterogeneously dense breasts (category C), you are about 2 times more likely to develop breast cancer than women with fatty breasts. If you have extremely dense breasts (category D), you are about 4 to 6 times more likely.
Dense breast tissue may obscure masses or cancer on a mammogram. While a mammogram is the best exam for detecting many cancers, in women with dense breasts we recommend supplemental screening with ultrasound-based exams because ultrasound can “see through” dense breast tissue and find details that might be hidden.
No, SoftVue cannot replace a yearly breast MRI. Patients who are in the top 20% risk category for breast cancer are considered “high risk.” Risk factors can include a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, genetic factors such as BRCA1 and BRCA2, or having already had breast cancer. Having dense breasts alone does not put you in the high-risk category. The best screening exam for patients at a high risk for breast cancer is breast MRI, in addition to screening mammography. If you are considered high risk, having a SoftVue exam or handheld ultrasound exam DOES NOT replace the need for a breast MRI.
It is very easy and comfortable with no compression or radiation. You relax on an exam table, face down, and lower your breast into an imaging chamber filled with warm water. After adjustment, the scan begins and takes about 3 minutes for each breast. See more about it here.
Once you have a healthcare provider’s referral, you can schedule online at ausrad.com/schedule or call us at (512) 453-6100.
