The benefits of yearly breast ultrasound instead of a mammogram and why some GYN doctors keep this life-saving information from their patients.
It’s hard to imagine a more backward, outdated, and damaging approach to detecting breast cancer than the annual mammogram. Place breasts between two plates, compress them hard (to the point of pain for some women), and douse with more radiation than 1000 chest x-rays combined (1 rad). All this … on an annual basis!
If you don’t have breast cancer already when you walk in the door, the chances are very real of developing it from repeated, annual exposure to this insanely high level of ionizing radiation! Worse, the vigorous breast compression actually encourages the spread of an existing malignancy.
According to Dr. Samuel Epstein MD, one of the world’s top cancer experts:
“The premenopausal breast is highly sensitive to radiation, each 1 rad exposure [per mammogram] increasing breast cancer risk by about 1 percent, with a cumulative 10 percent increased risk for each breast over a decade’s screening.” (1)
Dr. Charles B. Simone MD, a former clinical associate in immunology and pharmacology at the National Cancer Institute, says:
Mammograms increase the risk for developing breast cancer and raise the risk of spreading or metastasizing an existing growth. (2)
The pure lunacy of mammogram screening is why I’ve never had one and never will, even though at my age, I am “supposed” to already have had more than ten!
So what does a well-researched woman who understands the dangers of mammograms do instead?
Thermography Not a Perfect Choice
Many women who have turned away from dangerous mammography are getting breast thermography instead. While this is a safe screening test, it is unfortunately not the perfect substitute for mammograms in all situations.
For example, if a suspicious area is noted during thermography screening, a woman still is forced to go get a mammogram to check it out further. This happened to me a number of years ago (story here).
At the time, I was bound and determined to avoid a mammogram no matter what. The only way I could manage this was to circumvent the system and have my (MD) Dad write me a script for a breast ultrasound only. Inexplicably, the vast majority of doctors won’t do this. Labs won’t do a breast ultrasound without a mammogram either – it’s such a racket!
The hospital radiologist who conducted my breast ultrasound discovered that the lump was just a clogged duct. But … she bullied me the entire time for skipping the mammogram even though there was absolutely no downside in doing so! In fact, skipping the mammogram and getting only a breast ultrasound on a yearly basis is the smartest way to go! It is also far less expensive than thermography.
HUGE Breast Ultrasound Benefits Over a Mammogram
It was astonishing to me the gigantic hoops I had to jump through and the doctor bullying I had to endure to get a safe breast ultrasound instead of a carcinogenic mammogram. The questions that swirled around in my head were:
Why are doctors and labs so aggressively blocking breast ultrasound as an alternative to mammogram as a first line diagnosis option?
Why are women forced to get a dangerous annual mammogram BEFORE they are permitted to get a safe breast ultrasound, which is far more effective at detecting breast cancer anyway particularly for the 50% of women with dense breasts?
You know the sad answer. Ultimately, it is a money thing. Mammograms make gynecologists and labs far more money than breast ultrasound alone. The fix is in when it comes to gynecologists, labs and mammogram madness.
Mammogram Monopoly is Starting to Crumble
The mammogram monopoly is starting to crash, however! Now any woman can choose to skip out on a dangerous annual mammogram and get a safe breast ultrasound instead.
Bonus: a breast ultrasound is far more effective at detecting breast cancer. So, the huge problems of false positives, misdiagnosis and overtreatment decline substantially too!
Best of all, you can NOW get a breast ultrasound without a prescription, which means you don’t have to beg your doctor to write you a script for one instead of a mammogram. Given my experience in the years since my Dad retired from medicine, you can do all the begging and cite all the research you want. THEY WON’T DO IT.
Why?
Mammograms are big business! If you want to avoid them, you are going to have to go a completely different route.
Here’s what I did. I discovered the company Herscan from a recommendation from an alternative physician. This company is FINALLY providing this long overdue service of breast ultrasound only without a prerequisite screening mammogram.
7 Benefits of Breast Ultrasound over Mammogram
Here are the 7 benefits of getting a breast ultrasound from Herscan and TOTALLY SKIPPING your annual mammogram – FOREVER.
- Breast ultrasound is painless with no breast compression. There is no radiation exposure, and it is implant safe.
- Your results are read by a Board-Certified Radiologist. HerScan Sonographers are Registered RDMS, and are highly experienced breast specialists.
- No Prescription Required!
- Breast ultrasound takes 15 – 20 minutes on average.
- Breast ultrasound is BETTER for ALL women, but most especially critical for the 50% of women with dense breast tissue. On a mammogram, dense tissue appears white and cancerous tumors also appear white making it nearly impossible to “see” the tumor. It’s like trying to finding a snowball in a snowstorm. Studies confirm that Mammography misses every other cancer in women with dense breasts.
- Powerful ultrasound technology can see breast abnormalities that cannot be seen by mammography or by physical exam. Ultrasound sees all the way to the chest wall!
- Breast ultrasound is about half the cost of thermography. No surprise that most insurance won’t cover it, but no worries! Herscan has a program to help women who cannot afford the test.
It’s time to break the back of the mammogram mafia in the United States. Women IN DROVES need to start opting out of these dangerous annual exams and take their power back by getting annual breast ultrasound instead.
Thank you to Herscan for this tremendously important, lifesaving service to all women! You can book your appointment today by clicking here.
The Breast Center – a Mana Clinic in Bentonville Arkansas offers breast ultrasounds without a prescription. I believe they also have a clinic in Harrisonville Arkansas. You just have to state that you are willingly foregoing the mammogram in favor of an ultrasound.
Last year my gym recommended a ultrasound after my mammogram due to dense breasts. This year was hoping to skip the mammogram so did some research. This article explained the difference in the two tests. They are different and you should do your research and make an educated decision based on your own risk factors.
I regret that I cannot share a positive experience with HERSCAN. After reading this post and researching them further (but not finding much other than Joan Lunden as a spokesperson) I had a HERSCAN ultrasound in March (2018). The results HERSCAN mailed to me included two documents which were inconsistent in the category of abnormality shown in the screening. The discrepancy appears to be a misstatement but was concerning to read all the same. Additionally, I confirmed in advance of scheduling with HERSCAN that they could provide a receipt indicating a screening (preventative vs diagnostic) ultra sound so I could submit to be reimbursed through my preventive care benefits. HERSCAN assured me no problem – otherwise, I would have had my ultrasound at another facility and not forfeited my reimbursement. I have called HERSCAN repeatedly for almost 6 months, including multiple times some weeks, and only twice have gotten through to a person and both times was told the invoice would be emailed to me but it never comes (I confirmed my email address both times and have checked junk mail). Extremely disappointing.
Do you know of any other company that’s does scans beside her scan? I booked an appointment with them when they where supposed to be In My area and it was cancelled , so then I rebooked for the next month and it was cancelled again. And now I don’t see any dates in my area available. I’ve been waiting since May to get in and my doctor is concerned about some lumps she found and I really don’t want to get a mammogram. I’d be very leary of traveling somewhere to to an appointment with them, each time they’ve cancelled it’s only been a 3 day notice. I’d hate to have bought tickets and then find out I really don’t have an appointment.
I don’t know of any other company that does scans without a prescription. Why don’t you call them and find a place that will definitely have screenings and then book your ticket? Also, if you book with Southwest, the ticket is transferrable.
How can you get a breast ultrasound without a script?
As mentioned in the post, the company HerScan will do a breast ultrasound without a script. If you go to the website, there is a calendar of when they will be in various cities and you can book an appointment. You may need to travel to get one if there isn’t a location near you. Totally worth it, IMO, to avoid a mammogram which are so barbaric.
Isn’t it sad that the ultra sound is expensive, some people on a fixed income just can’t do it! Any other options ?
The source for breast ultrasound mentioned in the post covers all or part of the cost for women who cannot afford it.
Sarah, you are right that the mammogram industry is a racket.
The two best independent and comprehensive investigations on this are the books ‘Mammography Screening: Truth, Lies and Controversy’ by Peter Gotzsche and ‘The Mammogram Myth’ by Rolf Hefti (see author’s synopsis at supplements-and-health.com/mammograms.html ).
Dear Sarah; I came across your site searching for answers about why women have to be forced to do a horrible, painful Mammogram when we can easily do a safe, pain free and less invasive ultrasound. I recently had a Doctor prescription to do a Bilateral Ultrasound of the breast and cannot find a place in the State of Florida willing to do the test without doing the Mammogram. I was really upset that I called the Department of Health but got no answers. I came to realize that the Medical System in our Country is completely corrupted. It feels that Mammograms machines were created as a punishment for us. I would like to thank you for the information you provided and the fact of knowing that I’m not alone not only makes me feel better but also proud for not wanting to do a dangerous Mammogram.
Yes, this is why I call it the mammogram mafia! Fortunately, there are now places popping up where you can get a breast ultrasound only. See the link in the article to the mobile service I’ve been using.
I caught my breast cancer early and was treated at Sloan in NYC. Testing showed I was just over the broarderline in for chemo. I refused chemo but did radiation after surgery. I do not the the drug prescribed but take Beta Glucan and DIM. Eat healthy. Sloan did a yearly follow up mamo where they put me through the machine with 3 separate technicians. It was a horrible experience. I am due for second year mamo. I would like to do just ultrasound. I read your article then read a bit more. Please define further for me as I am a bit confused as I read Ultrasounds are good for younger women and older women with density. Mammograms are best for older women with no density. I fall into the latter. Please advise. Many thanks!
Research is showing that ultrasounds are as good as a mammogram but without the radiation risks. Many GYNs in the USA are behind in keeping up with this information for their patients unfortunately. In Switzerland, they are phasing out mammograms entirely in favor of breast ultrasound.
https://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2014/04/30/mammography-screening-programs.aspx
Thank you Sarah! I really appreciate your answer. It is crazy that in 21st century in the United States I do not have the right to decide about my health.