Breast lumps and unnecessary testing

Sid Schwab talks from a surgeon’s perspective:

In a nutshell, it comes down to this: when there’s a lump you can feel, diagnostic imaging (Xrays, ultrasound, etc.) is a waste of time and money. OK, that’s a bit over the top: you get needed information about the rest of the breast, and the other side, which will come into play at some point. But getting a bunch of studies — particularly without the input of a surgeon — as the initial step in working up a lump adds up to lots of unnecessary running around for the patient, distractions in the diagnostic process, and — not rarely — detours into side roads that never needed taking.