If a woman suspects that she has a breast disease, she should seek medical advice. What kind of examinations are usually required? When you have symptoms and decide to go to the breast clinic, it is easy to get the wrong department. Many people go to the obstetrics and gynecology department or the internal medicine department because they think it is a breast disease, but in most cases, this is a mistake. When breast cancer is suspected, it is basically seen in the surgery department. Some hospitals also have specialized departments such as breast surgery and breast specialist clinics. Visual and tactile examination of the breasts and direct touch examination After the consultation, the doctor examines the breasts to check for breast cancer. The first step is to look at the size and shape of the breasts, and to see if there is any hardness or indentation. Next, palpation is performed to physically touch the breasts. The more experienced the doctor, the more carefully he or she will use their fingers to check the breasts and underarms for abnormalities. By examining the size, location and hardness of the lump in detail, we confirm whether it can be moved, etc., as well as whether there is any discharge from the nipple. Imaging (Ultrasound and Mammography) Mammography is also known as mammography; it is an X-ray examination of the breasts. It can visualize the entire breast, including breast fat and blood vessels. By flattening the breast, it is easier to visualize the location of lumps and should be done after menstruation when the breasts are softer. Mammography is effective in detecting tiny cancerous tumors. Initial very small cancers that cannot be detected by palpation, and white particles of calcification (calcium deposits in the ducts of the breast) can be photographed. Ultrasound involves applying gel to the breast, generating sound waves into the breast, and generally moving the probe to look inside. It is not painful and there is no radiation exposure. Ultrasound can look for small lumps that are hard to find by palpation. Also, it can find out the nature of the lump and what is inside the lump.