• This is an opportunity for individuals to address any general concerns and to be examined by one of our breast care specialists, along with investigation of any abnormality detected and personalised planning for breast cancer screening.

• This is widely recognised as the main identification tool for breast cancer and is vital in the diagnosis and staging of detected cancer lesions.
• We offer state-of-the-art 3D mammography combined with the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) software to assist the radiologist in reading the images. ROC is the only private healthcare facility in the UK using Breast AI in clinical practice routinely, and all women attending the clinic will be offered a 3D mammogram.

• Breast ultrasound may be sufficient to investigate your symptoms although often it is undertaken in conjunction with a mammogram.

• Dense breasts make it harder for doctors to see breast cancers on 2D mammograms and increase a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer. Therefore all women attending a mammogram at ROC will have a breast density report.

• If you have a breast lump, your clinician may recommend you have a biopsy to find out if the lump is benign or malignant. Following a local anaesthetic a small tissue sample will be collected using a needle (ultrasound images are used to guide the radiologist). This sample will then be analysed to determine the nature of the identified lump.

• This specific type of biopsy may be required if a mammogram shows a breast abnormality such as:
  • Microcalcifications can be seen on your mammogram, but cannot be felt or seen on an ultrasound.
  • Distortion in the structure of the breast tissue that cannot be easily explained.
  • Abnormal tissue change in an area of the breast.
  • New calcium deposits at a previous surgery site.

During the procedure under a local anaesthetic, one of our expert radiologists will use mammography images produced at various angles to guide a mechanised needle to remove the tissue sample.