Every woman should take care of her health and know that after 35 years it is necessary to undergo breast ultrasound and fluorography once a year. And after breast augmentation, this is extremely necessary. But most girls after plastic surgery wonder whether the examination after the operation will be reliable, and whether all areas of the breast will be visible on the machines.

It is very important to take care of yourself and think about the future, so it is necessary to undergo all examinations on time. Will implants interfere with ultrasound, mammography, CT, MRI? This is the most popular question among women who have had breast enlargement. The answer is no! The presence of breast implants will not affect the examination in any way, and will not interfere with the eventual establishment of an accurate diagnosis, provided that the examination is carried out using modern technology.

Before the examination, it is recommended to carefully select a clinic. As a rule, all modern clinics are equipped with the latest models of technology. It is recommended to first clarify whether it is possible to conduct an examination of breasts with implants, and also consult with a specialist who will select the most suitable examination method.

Types of examinations:

1. Ultrasound - ultrasound examination. An ultrasound must be done before plastic surgery, and then repeated annually after it. Today this is the most common examination method. Ultrasound allows you to study the mammary glands before surgery, as well as exclude various kinds of complications, inflammation and adverse changes already during the rehabilitation period.

2. Mammography. Despite the fact that mammography is the most accurate method of breast examination, it still has some difficulties. In cases where the implant was installed above the pectoral muscle, during the examination it may block some areas of the breast. If the implant is installed under the muscle, the blocked area is insignificant. The disadvantage of this method is that it will not help determine whether a breast implant is ruptured or leaking. When performing mammography, each gland is compressed first horizontally, then vertically, so the patient should warn the doctor in advance about the presence of breast implants in the mammary glands.

3. MRI - magnetic resonance imaging. The peculiarity of the method is the use of a powerful magnetic field. MRI allows you to determine implant rupture or leakage, identify tumor foci and metastases.

4. CT - computed tomography. This type of examination is considered the most accurate for diagnosing breast cancer. Computed tomography is classified as an X-ray method for examining the breast.

5. Fluorography. Breast implants are visible in the fluorography image. The patient should notify the doctor in advance about their presence, but they will not interfere with the examination of the lungs, because implants easily transmit x-rays.

Thus, the presence of breast implants will not interfere with any of the listed types of examinations and obtaining accurate data on the condition of the patient’s mammary glands and lungs.

M Many patients planning or who have already undergone breast surgery fear that the implant will interfere with doctors’ ability to monitor the condition of the breast.

To debunk this myth, we turned to Shahin Tatyana Anatolyevna, which has been examining implanted breasts for many years. The doctor also told us which formations do not interfere with mammoplasty and which ones can be dealt with during this operation.

- Should all patients undergoing breast surgery undergo an ultrasound examination?

Of course, we cannot force anyone, but this is done, first of all, in the interests of the patient’s health. We adhere to the principle of examining absolutely all patients before surgery for focal formations in the mammary gland. In addition, very often a preliminary ultrasound helps the surgeon in choosing the type of implant, since this method can determine the ratio of glandular tissue and fatty tissue, as well as determine the thickness and consistency of the integumentary tissue, which is an important factor in the long-term aesthetic effect.

- What changes in the tissues of the mammary glands can ultrasound reveal?

If during ultrasound we detect any benign focal changes in the glandular tissue (cysts, fibroadenomas, lipomas, etc.), it becomes possible to remove them during subsequent mammoplasty and send them for histological examination. Moreover, very often, for the first time in their lives, patients undergo this examination before mammoplasty (this is due to the absence of a universal mandatory medical examination, which was adopted in the Soviet Union), but a mammologist with a mandatory ultrasound must be visited once a year!

- Are all focal formations identified by ultrasound subject to removal during mammoplasty, and do the installed implants interfere with monitoring the condition of the glands?

Small focal changes (small cysts up to 1 cm) do not require surgical treatment, that is, removal, and we simply monitor them after the operation. After the operation, they do not undergo any changes and do not increase in size. The only thing is that they may be slightly displaced relative to the primary location due to the placement of the implant. If we identify from the echo picture that this formation is a fibroadenoma, even of a small size, then it is better to remove it during mammoplasty and send it for histological examination. We must always remember that fibroadenoma is a benign neoplasm, but nomenclature-wise it is a precancer!

This is not a public offer! There are contraindications. Before use, consultation with a specialist is required.

This is not a public offer! There are contraindications. Before use, consultation with a specialist is required.

If you have implantsUltrasound observation (tracking) of the state of cystic changes in the mammary gland during mastopathy is not difficult. Previously, when the machines were not as good as they are now, the thyroid and mammary glands and other superficial organs were viewed through a bag filled with fluid, because sound passed through them better. And the gel filler of implants is practically a biological conductor of ultrasound, so the condition of the mammary gland can be seen even better through the implant. The implant is positioned underneath all the tissues, thus lifting them towards the ultrasound probe and they become more visible than if the glandular tissues (normal anatomy) lie on the ribs and there is no implant between them.

- How necessary is ultrasound control after placing implants?

After breast surgery, ultrasound is also necessary. Especially 3 months after surgery, when the capsule begins to form. We are interested in its thickness and the nature of the fabric. If the capsule is already thickened by this time, this can lead to mammary fibrosis later. Then surgeons take action by prescribing conservative treatment and physical therapy, which leads to normal formation of the capsule. Naturally, we resort to early ultrasound diagnosis if we suspect the formation of a seroma or hematoma in the early postoperative period. Ultrasound helps to decide on the advisability of a puncture: to evacuate a hematoma or seroma, or the number of these inclusions is so small that the body itself will undergo their reverse development.

This is not a public offer! There are contraindications. Before use, consultation with a specialist is required.

- So the condition of an already installed implant can be assessed using ultrasound?

An ultrasound specialist who constantly works with patients after augmentation mammoplasty, that is, day after day, year after year, clearly sees and correctly interprets any, even minor, changes in the condition of the implants and surrounding tissues. For example, patients often bring us reports from “general” ultrasound doctors. They do not say a word about the condition of the implant shell and filler gel, or they are assessed incorrectly. For example,Most of my colleagues regard the natural folding of the implant as cystic changes, and small natural thickenings of the capsule above the implant shell as fibroadenoma, and much more. And an experienced ultrasound diagnostic doctor is able to give an opinion on the symmetry of the location of the implants, and on their position relative to the vertical and horizontal axes (relevant for anatomically shaped implants). This is possible because most implants have ultrasound contrast marks that must be in a specific position after the implants are placed. To detect implant rotation, it is enough to find these marks. If there are no marks in the implant model, then the position is assessed based on the edges of the implant and its thickness in different parts of it.

This is not a public offer! There are contraindications. Before use, consultation with a specialist is required.

In addition, long-term monitoring is important, especially in situations where implants were installed 8-10 years ago or more. Firstly, in the past most oftenimplants were installed without shape memory (soft gel); secondly, the implant shell was used thinner. Over time, such a shell could simply rub against itself, even with slight marginal folding of the implant. As a result of violation of the integrity of the implant, biological inclusions appear in the filler gel. This causes chronic inflammation and hardening of the capsule (mammary fibrosis, capsular contracture). The implant needs to be replaced! The ultrasound picture of a violation of the integrity of the implant is almost 100% accurate.

- What do ultrasound signs of capsule compaction look like (mammary fibrosis or capsular contracture)?

When the thickness of the capsule around the prosthesis is approximately 0.1 mm, that is, a tenth of a millimeter, which is the norm, it is so thin that it is not even visible on the ultrasound picture. But it begins to be visible - these are signs of its compaction and thickening. In general, there are several stages of compaction of the periprosthetic capsule, and the need for surgical capsulotomy (dissection of the capsule) depends on this. The borderline condition is the thickness of the capsule wall - 0.7-0.8 mm. Thickening greater than 1 mm is a clear sign of mammary fibrosis. This is usually accompanied by clinical breast hardening, deformation and often pain. In this case, capsulotomy is inevitable!

This is not a public offer! There are contraindications. Before use, consultation with a specialist is required.

- Sometimes girls who have prosthetic breasts read in the ultrasound report that the implant has wavy edges, folds and creases, or a certain amount of fluid in the implant cavity. How dangerous is this, should I go to a surgeon for surgery?

As for the folds and creases of the implant, they are also different. Sometimes you press a little with the sensor during an ultrasound and they straighten. This means that the capsule is normal, soft, and does not compress the implant in any way. And there are such creases that it is impossible to straighten them. And in this case, the surgeon focuses more on the patient’s complaints, because even with such creases and folds, the patient does not experience any problems: neither aesthetic nor physical, and in general they learn about the folding of the implant only after an ultrasound. As well as the fact that in the cavity in which the implant lies, there is a small accumulation of interstitial fluid. An amount of up to 20 ml, evenly distributed throughout the cavity, is considered the absolute norm, and is also detected only by ultrasound. There is definitely no need to run to the surgeon for an operation!

- What changes in the gland do you see after breast surgery without the use of implants, that is, after reduction mammoplasty and breast lift?

When performing a breast lift or breast reduction in the early stages, we determine the presence or absence of seromas and hematomas for further surgical or conservative resolution of these problems. 6-12 months after the operation, we already see a picture of healed tissue: a new vascular network is formed, and internal scar tissue changes (fibrosis and sclerosis) become less pronounced, up to complete reduction. It should be noted that fibrosis and sclerosis of breast tissue occurs in women of different ages, even without mammoplasty - this is a biologically determined process of age-related suppression of the lactation function of the mammary glands. A 30-year-old woman's mammary glands are radically different from those of a 60-year-old woman. That is, the processes of temporary fibrosis and sclerosis of the operated mammary glands do not pose any threat to the patient’s health!

This is not a public offer! There are contraindications. Before use, consultation with a specialist is required.

- Tatyana Anatolyevna, what would you like to wish to our female forum members, and maybe give some professional advice?

In conclusion, I would like to wish women health and beauty, and recall some rules for caring for your bust, whatever it may be - natural or improved with the help of plastic surgeons:

1. Do not expose the mammary glands to excessive UV radiation (sun, solarium).

2. Visit a mammologist with a mandatory ultrasound scan at least once a year.

...and everything will be fine with you!

Shahin Tatyana Anatolyevna, ultrasound diagnostics doctor, candidate of medical sciences, doctor of the highest qualification category

This is not a public offer! There are contraindications. Before use, consultation with a specialist is required.

Every girl who monitors her health knows that after 35 years it is recommended to be regularly examined by a mammologist. And after breast augmentation, visiting a doctor is completely necessary. Many people are concerned about the question of how the breast examination will proceed after surgery? Will all examined breast areas be visible on the machines? Will implants interfere? In the article you will find concise and informative answers to these and many other questions.

What examinations are carried out before breast augmentation surgery?

Before mammoplasty, not only traditional tests are performed, but also a chest x-ray, ultrasound of the mammary glands and regional lymph nodes. The doctor does an ultrasound so that problems that the girl may not even be aware of can be recognized. For example, different types of mastopathy, tumors. Sometimes the study reveals an early stage of cancer and this can save the patient’s life.

Naturally, if the examination reveals a serious problem, the operation is postponed. The doctor prescribes treatment or refers you to a specialized specialist.

If the examination reveals a serious problem, the operation is postponed.

Do implants make it difficult to diagnose breast cancer?

Implants are in some way a barrier to diagnostics. For this reason, mammography is not performed in all clinics, but only in those where there is special equipment and a professional with sufficient qualifications to examine the breasts after mammoplasty.

Method for diagnosing breast diseases with implants

The main method for diagnosing breasts, including those with implants, is ultrasound diagnostics (ultrasound). If suspicious formations are detected, doctors recommend undergoing additional tests. It is possible that a CT scan will be required.

This is an accurate but rather expensive method, so it is rarely used for routine preventive examinations.

Does the method of implant installation affect the type of diagnosis?

There are several ways to place a breast implant. It may be located under the pectoral muscle or under the mammary gland. And no matter where it is located, it does not in any way affect the complexity and method of diagnosis.

Will damaged lymph flows interfere with the diagnosis of breast cancer?

When performing mammoplasty through the axillary region, lymph flow may be disrupted, but this does not cause problems with cancer diagnosis. When tumors are detected, the breast tissue is examined directly.

Will postoperative scars interfere with the detection of breast tumors?

An experienced specialist will easily diagnose the breast after mammoplasty. However, in some cases, the examination may be complicated by the fact that after reduction plastic surgery, due to certain characteristics of scarring and impaired blood supply, lipogranulomas may form.

Many girls wonder how breast examination will proceed after breast augmentation. Will all examined breast areas be visible on the machines?

Every woman, of course, takes care of her health. And everyone knows that after 35 years you need to undergo a mammogram once a year. And even more so after breast augmentation. Fluorography is also carried out once a year.

We all want to be healthy and therefore girls who care about their future always undergo examinations on time.

So what will this look like? Do implants interfere with breast exams?

How to do an ultrasound after mammoplasty? How is fluorography performed with breast implants? CT and MRI after mammoplasty? Ultrasound after breast augmentation? We will help you figure it out.

We would like to note that the presence of breast implants does not affect the examination in any way; you can always establish an accurate diagnosis using one of the methods.

But of course, with the availability of modern technology for examining the breast after mammoplasty.

Modern clinics, as a rule, are equipped with the latest models of technology. When making an appointment at a clinic for an examination, a girl should clarify what devices are available, whether it is possible to conduct an examination in this clinic if she has breast implants, and of course, consult with a specialist to select the exact research method in an individual case.

And we will dispel existing myths about the impossibility of conducting an examination.

Ultrasound - ultrasound examination. After breast augmentation, it is performed annually. One of the most common examination methods in our time. It is also a mandatory examination before breast plastic surgery. Ultrasound of the mammary glands after breast augmentation allows you to identify pathologies of the mammary glands before surgery, assess the condition of the breast implants and the tissues themselves, and also exclude possible complications, such as inflammatory processes, tissue changes, and the formation of a capsule during the rehabilitation period.

Mammography after mammoplasty is the most thorough examination method. The mammography examination method after mammoplasty has minor difficulties. You need to know about this! The implant may block some areas of the mammary gland during the examination; to a greater extent and percentage, this applies to those cases when the implant is installed above the pectoral muscle. If the implant is installed under the muscle, the area of ​​the breast covered is much smaller. Also, this research method is not informative in cases of ruptures or leakage of breast implants.

MRI after mammoplasty is a magnetic resonance imaging of the mammary glands.

A method for examining gland tissue using a powerful magnetic field. This method identifies tumor foci, metastases, and ruptures of breast implants.

CT or computed tomography after mammoplasty, this type is classified as X-ray methods for examining the breast. It is the most informative and accurate type of research for diagnosing cancer. CT scan is prescribed to clarify the diagnosis for a narrow circle of women.

FLG after mammoplasty or fluorography after breast augmentation.

Before undergoing this examination, the patient must notify the doctor about the presence of breast implants. Many people wonder whether implants are visible in the FLG image. We will also answer, yes, obviously.

As you can see, the silicone implants that are used for mammoplasty are permeable to X-rays, their presence will not complicate the examination of the lungs during FLG.