Breast Ultrasound: What to Expect From a Referred Scan

A breast ultrasound uses sound waves to create images of the breast tissue, and it needs a referral from your GP or specialist. If you have been handed a request for a breast or axilla scan, it is normal to want to know what the appointment involves before you walk in. Bring your referral and any earlier breast imaging reports, wear a comfortable two-piece outfit, and a sonographer will perform the scan at our Menai NSW clinic. The decisions about what your images mean and what comes next stay with the clinician who referred you.

Key Takeaways

• A referred scan uses ultrasound only, which involves no radiation and no compression plates.
• A valid referral from your GP or specialist is required before we can scan you. This applies to both women and men.
• Preparation is usually simple: bring your referral, wear a comfortable two-piece outfit and bring any earlier breast imaging reports you have.
• It does not replace BreastScreen or any other imaging your clinician recommends for you.
• Your referring doctor receives the report and talks through the results with you.

What a Breast Ultrasound Is and What It Shows

A breast ultrasound is a scan that uses high-frequency sound waves instead of radiation. A sonographer glides a small handheld device, called a transducer, over the skin with a layer of warm gel. The device sends out sound waves and listens for the echoes that bounce back from the tissue underneath. A computer turns those echoes into live images on a screen.

The images show the structure of the breast tissue, including fatty tissue, glandular tissue and the connective tissue that supports them. An ultrasound can show whether an area is solid or fluid-filled, and it can show the size and position of something your doctor has asked us to look at. It is used to look closely at a specific area of concern, which is why your referral will usually name the side or the spot to be examined.

What the images mean is a separate question, and it is one for your referring doctor. Our role is to carry out the scan carefully and prepare the report for your clinician. We do not diagnose conditions or interpret your result for you in the room.

It can help to know that ultrasound is the same basic technology whatever the reason for the scan. If you would like a plain-language picture of how it works, our guide to the difference between 2D, 3D and 4D ultrasound explains the basics. UBM Scans also offers keepsake pregnancy scans, such as those described in what can and can’t be seen in a 3D/4D ultrasound. Those are a separate, non-diagnostic service with no referral needed. A breast or axilla ultrasound is a referred diagnostic scan and is a different appointment.

Why Might a Doctor Request a Breast Ultrasound?

Doctors request breast imaging for many reasons, and your referral does not tell you that anything is wrong. In general terms, a GP or specialist may want a closer look at an area they have examined, or they may want to follow up on something noticed during a check-up. A breast lump ultrasound is one common request, but not the only one. Other referrals ask for a closer look at an area of tenderness, or at something seen on another type of imaging.

Because the reasons vary so much from person to person, the most useful thing you can do is ask your doctor why they are requesting the scan and what they plan to do with the information. That conversation belongs with them, not with a website, and they know your history in a way we cannot.

If you have new symptoms between appointments, or your symptoms change after you have booked, please contact your GP. Do not wait for your scan date to raise it.

Breast Ultrasound vs Mammogram: How They Differ

Many people searching for information ask about a breast ultrasound vs mammogram, so it helps to be clear. A mammogram uses X-rays, while a breast ultrasound uses sound waves, so they are different tests. UBM Scans performs ultrasound only, and whether you need any other imaging is a decision for your treating clinician. National Center for Biotechnology Information’s guidance on breast ultrasound: recommendations for information to women and referring physicians by the European Society of Breast Imaging – PMC sets this out in more detail.

Ultrasound and mammography work differently and they are often used for different purposes. Your doctor chooses the type of imaging that suits your situation, your age and your history. Sometimes that is one test, sometimes it is more than one, and that choice is theirs to make.

An important point: a referred scan with us is not a screening test and it does not replace BreastScreen. BreastScreen is the national population screening program, and it is separate from a diagnostic scan requested by your doctor. If you are due for routine screening, please keep your BreastScreen appointments, and do not treat a diagnostic ultrasound as a substitute for any imaging your clinician has recommended.

A referred ultrasound looks closely at one area, and your doctor decides what the picture means for you.

Breast Imaging Referral: What You Need Before You Book

Every diagnostic scan at UBM Scans requires a valid referral from a GP or specialist. A breast imaging referral should name the type of scan being requested and, where relevant, which side or area to examine. Check that your details are correct and that the request is for a breast ultrasound or an axilla ultrasound as your doctor intended.

Some points that are worth knowing before you book:

• We cannot perform a diagnostic scan without a referral, so please have it ready.
• Referred diagnostic scans may attract a Medicare rebate where current eligibility and item requirements apply. We cannot promise a rebate or confirm an out-of-pocket cost in advance, so please contact us to ask about current arrangements.
• We are not a bulk-billing provider.
• If you are unsure whether your referral covers what you need, your referring doctor is the best person to clarify.

A breast ultrasound is a referred diagnostic scan, so you need a valid referral from your GP or specialist before you book. If you are unsure whether the request you were given covers the breast, the axilla or both, check with the clinician who wrote it.

What Affects the Cost of a Breast or Axilla Ultrasound?

We do not quote a single price here, because the cost of a referred scan depends on a few things. These include which areas your referral asks us to scan (for example, breast only, or breast and axilla) and whether Medicare rebate requirements apply to your referral. Referred diagnostic scans may attract a Medicare rebate where current eligibility and item requirements are met, but we cannot guarantee a rebate, its amount or your out-of-pocket cost, and we are not a bulk-billing provider. The simplest approach is to have your referral in front of you and ask the team about the cost when you call to book.

If you have severe or sudden breast pain, rapid swelling, redness with fever, or you feel acutely unwell, please do not wait for a scan appointment. See a GP promptly or go to your nearest emergency department.

How to Prepare for Your Breast Ultrasound

Preparation for this type of scan is usually straightforward. Your booking confirmation or our team will let you know if there is anything specific for your appointment, and you should follow those instructions first. In general, it helps to:

• Bring your referral and your Medicare card.
• Bring any earlier breast or axilla imaging reports, or tell us where they were done, so the sonographer has the background.
• Wear a comfortable two-piece outfit, so you only need to undress from the waist up.
• Avoid applying heavy creams, lotions or powders to the breast and underarm area on the day, as they can get in the way of the gel.
• Allow a little time to arrive and settle in. Feeling unhurried makes the experience easier.

You can eat and drink as you normally would unless you are told otherwise. If you have any questions about preparation, a quick call before the appointment is the best way to put your mind at rest.

What Happens During Your Appointment in Menai NSW

Our clinic is at 10 Anzac Rd, Menai NSW 2234. When you arrive, the team will check your referral and your details. The sonographer will explain what they are about to do and you are welcome to ask questions before you begin.

You will be asked to lie on an examination bed, usually on your back, with the arm on the side being scanned raised above your head. Only the area being scanned is uncovered, and you will be offered a cover for the rest of your upper body. The sonographer applies warm gel and moves the transducer across the breast with gentle, steady pressure. You may be asked to roll slightly onto one side so they can reach every part of the area named on your referral. They may scan both sides, or only the side stated on the request.

Most people find a breast ultrasound comfortable. If the area is tender, the pressure of the transducer can feel uncomfortable at times, and you should tell the sonographer if it does. They can adjust. The sonographer concentrates on capturing clear images, so there may be quiet stretches during the scan. That is normal and it does not mean anything about your results. The sonographers at UBM Scans bring more than 15 years of medical-imaging experience to their work.

Sonographers do not give diagnoses or discuss what the images mean during the appointment. This is not an evasion. The report is written for your referring doctor, who knows your full history and is the right person to explain it.

A referred scan is one careful look at one area, and what it means is a conversation with your own doctor.

Axilla Ultrasound: Looking at the Underarm Area

An axilla ultrasound looks at the underarm region, which contains lymph nodes and surrounding tissue. Doctors may request it alongside a breast scan or on its own, depending on what they are looking into. If your referral lists both areas, the sonographer will scan each of them in the same appointment.

The experience is much the same as the breast scan. You lie on the bed with your arm raised so the sonographer can reach the underarm, gel is applied and the transducer is moved gently across the area. As with the breast scan, we cannot tell you what the images show, and your referring doctor will explain the findings and the next steps.

Breast Ultrasound for Men

Men can be referred for a breast ultrasound too, and the process is the same. A GP or specialist may request a scan when they want a closer look at an area, for example if a man has noticed a change or tenderness in the chest region. Men sometimes feel unsure about attending a breast imaging appointment, but sonographers see all kinds of patients and the appointment is handled with the same care and privacy. If you have questions about what to expect, feel free to ask us before you come in.

After the Scan: Results and Next Steps

When your scan is finished, you can get dressed and go about your day. The report goes to your referring clinician, and they will discuss it with you. We cannot promise a particular timeframe for reports, so it is sensible to ask your doctor when they expect to have it and to book a follow-up appointment with them.

Please do not read too much into the length of the scan, the number of images taken or the sonographer’s expression. None of these tells you anything about the outcome. If you feel anxious while you wait, talk it over with your GP, who can support you and answer questions.

Any decisions about further imaging, monitoring or treatment are made by your treating clinician, in line with current clinical guidance and your own circumstances. If you develop new or worsening symptoms before you see them, contact your doctor promptly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a referral for a breast ultrasound?

Yes. Every diagnostic ultrasound at UBM Scans requires a valid referral from a GP or specialist. We are unable to perform a breast or axilla scan without one.

Is a breast ultrasound the same as a mammogram?

No. A breast ultrasound uses sound waves, while a mammogram uses X-rays. UBM Scans performs ultrasound only. A diagnostic ultrasound also does not replace BreastScreen or any other imaging your clinician has recommended for you.

Does a breast ultrasound hurt?

Most people find it comfortable. The gel may feel cool at first and the transducer applies gentle pressure. If the area is tender, you might feel some discomfort, so tell the sonographer and they will adjust what they are doing.

Will the sonographer tell me my results?

No. Sonographers do not diagnose or interpret results during the appointment. The report goes to your referring doctor, who will explain what it means and discuss any next steps with you.

Can I get a Medicare rebate for my scan?

Referred diagnostic scans may attract a Medicare rebate where current eligibility and item requirements apply. We cannot guarantee a rebate or an out-of-pocket amount, so please call us to ask about current arrangements before you book. We are not a bulk-billing provider.

What should I wear to the appointment?

A comfortable two-piece outfit works well, as you will only need to undress from the waist up. Avoid heavy creams or powders on the breast and underarm area on the day.

Walking In Informed and Unhurried

A referred scan is one step in a conversation between you and your doctor. Knowing what the appointment involves, from the referral to the gel to the report, lets you arrive calm and prepared.

The scan looks at the area your doctor has asked about, using ultrasound only. It sits alongside, and never in place of, BreastScreen and the other imaging your clinician advises.

Whatever your reason for being referred, your treating doctor is the right person for your questions about results and next steps.