Focal Breast Pain: Does a Normal Ultrasound Provide Reassurance?

Detailed Summary

The investigator hypothesizes that a benign directed ultrasound, when performed after a normal digital mammogram, will provide women with focal breast pain additional reassurance that the etiology of their symptom is benign. 160 women over the age of thirty with focal breast pain who present to the Breast Imaging Clinic for evaluation between 3/1/2016 - 7/1/2018 will be selected and randomized to three groups using a block randomization technique. All study participants will complete a survey assessing psychosocial factors, then receive a digital mammogram. Patients with a negative mammogram will continue on with the study and will either have a conversation about their negative mammogram with a radiologist or receive a directed ultrasound. A second survey will be conducted assessing psychosocial factors. All study participants who did not receive an ultrasound will receive an ultrasound so that all study participants are provided with the standard of care for focal breast pain. The results of the survey will be compared and appropriate statistical analyses such as an Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) test will be conducted to determine any statistically significant differences between the three randomized groups. The risks/safety issues of this study are believed to be minimal.

Study Details

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Interventions