1. Home
  3. Services
  5. Women's Health
  7. Women’s Breast Health
  9. Breast Health Centers
  11. Automated Breast Ultrasound Screenings (ABUS)

Automated Breast Ultrasound Screenings

Breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers for women in the United States. At the Beaufort Memorial Breast Health Center in Beaufort, we provide women with the advanced screenings necessary to help quickly detect and diagnose breast cancer. That includes screenings for women with dense breasts who are at an increased risk of developing cancer.

Our center offers Invenia™ ABUS 2.0 (Automated Breast Ultrasound). Performed in conjunction with a mammogram, the combination has been shown to improve cancer detection by 36% in women with dense breasts.

To schedule an ABUS screening, you will need a referral from your OBGYN or primary care provider. ABUS is offered only at the Breast Health Center location in Beaufort.

Request an appointment with an OBGYN or find a primary care provider accepting new patients.

woman with dense breasts having a screening ultrasound with the ABUS automated breast ultrasound

ABUS and Breast Density

Breasts are made up of both tissue and fat. Having dense breasts means your breasts consist of more than 50% glandular and fibrous connective tissue. Although dense breasts are common — more than 40% of women have them — breast density increases a woman’s risk for developing breast cancer, and dense breasts can mask tumors on a traditional mammogram.

ABUS is a noninvasive screening ultrasound performed in combination with an annual mammogram. ABUS uses high-frequency sound waves to generate more than 1,200 detailed images of the breast that are then compiled by a computer to give providers a comprehensive, 3D view of your breasts.

ABUS does not replace your annual mammogram, but your physician may recommend ABUS as a supplement to the exam if you have dense breasts. Women with low to moderate risk for breast cancer should speak with their physician about a screening mammogram and ultrasound. Try to schedule your ABUS exam six months from your screening mammogram date for a more comprehensive dense breast exam.

What to Expect With ABUS

An ABUS screening exam only takes 30 minutes. After you check in, you will be given a private area to change into a hospital gown or robe. In the examination room, you will lie down on an exam table and the technologist will help you get into a comfortable position. The technologist will apply an ultrasound-specific lotion or gel to your breasts.

During the exam, the provider will place a scanner firmly on each breast to ensure the whole area is covered. You should feel no pain, only a small amount of gentle pressure. The scanner will take less than one minute to generate images of the entire breast, and each breast will be scanned three times. After your exam, the technologist will send images to a radiologist to be evaluated. You’ll receive a call with results and the radiologist’s report will be sent to your referring physician.