Specialist Consultation

What will happen at the consultation?

I will listen to your description of the problem and ask some relevant questions regarding your general health and life style.

Both breasts will be examined carefully. The use of ultrasound at the  initial consultation significantly improves the speed, comfort and accuracy of assessment. You will need to remove your top and bra and lie on an examination couch. Warm jelly is applied to the skin to provide a good contact for the probe.

I will then discuss the place of any further investigations such as mammography or biopsy in your particular situation.

If mammograms are required they are performed in the radiology department located in the same building.

Any abnormality that is identified on these tests will require a needle biopsy. This procedure is done under local anaesthetic and takes about ten minutes.

By the end of this first consultation I will be able to give you a provisional diagnosis of your problem.

Many lumps such as fluid filled cysts will be completely treated in this one visit.

The result of the needle biopsy is usually available within 1-2 days and will confirm a diagnosis.