Iowa Radiology Blog

Both men and women experience pelvic pain for a variety of reasons. In many cases, pelvic pain goes away on its own. Sometimes, however, it can be a sign of a serious or chronic condition that needs treatment. Below are some of the most common reasons for pelvic pain as well as signs that it’s time to see a doctor.

Mammography is the most widely used and commonly recommended technology for breast imaging. The American College of Radiology and the Society for Breast Imaging recommend annual mammography screening for women at average risk of breast cancer beginning at age 40. In some instances, however, MRI or ultrasound imaging is recommended as a supplement to mammography.

Why are other imaging methods recommended?

Approximately one in eight women (12.5%) develops breast cancer in her lifetime. Because of the prevalence of breast cancer in women, doctors and medical associations recommend screening—looking for signs of disease when no symptoms are present. Mammography has been the gold standard of breast cancer detection for decades and remains a critical component of routine screening. Other technologies, however, can be valuable supplements—or in some cases, even replacements—for screening mammography.

Dating back to the 1970s, the use of mammography in breast cancer screening has proven to save lives. Breast cancer screening has evolved dramatically, however, since those early days of direct-exposure film and the need for high radiation doses. Refinements in technique and technology have enabled doctors to successfully detect and treat more cancers at earlier stages, using less radiation than in the past.[1] Today, radiologists have multiple effective tools available for identifying breast cancers as early as possible to give patients the best chance of recovery.

If your doctor orders a pelvic ultrasound exam, images can be captured in two different ways: transabdominally (through the abdomen) and transvaginally (through the vaginal canal). Depending on the patient and the condition being assessed, either one or both of these methods can be used.

Mammography is the only breast cancer screening tool that has been proven to reduce deaths through early detection. However, other imaging modalities can be valuable when a supplement or alternative to mammography is needed. Women who are unable to undergo mammography or whose mammography images provide insufficient information are often referred for breast ultrasound.

Most people are familiar with transdermal ultrasound exams, during which the ultrasound transducer is passed over the surface of the skin to produce images of internal structures. To assess issues related to the female reproductive system, however, doctors sometimes recommend a transvaginal ultrasound (TVUS). This procedure involves inserting a specially designed transducer into the vagina to produce clearer, detailed images for the assessment of some conditions. 

A woman who experiences symptoms like trouble getting pregnant, repeated miscarriages, or abnormal menstrual bleeding may be referred for a sonohysterogram to investigate possible causes. If a transabdominal or transvaginal ultrasound produces insufficiently clear images to locate the source of the problem, then a sonohysterogram may be recommended.

Mammography is the standard for breast cancer screening, but it’s not the only imaging method that doctors use to get information about breast conditions and possible cancers. In some cases, ultrasound or MRI are chosen to supplement or replace mammography as a breast imaging tool. To help you understand why your doctor may recommend a particular breast imaging procedure, here are some basic reasons that each is often used.