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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffEarly diagnosis of ILC can be challenging. A mammogram, which takes X-ray images of your breast tissue, may not detect ILC early in the cancer's development.
Your doctor may use a mammogram or a breast ultrasound (ultrasonography) to evaluate an abnormality found during a physical exam or seen on a screening mammogram. Ultrasound uses sound waves to produce images of structures deep within the body. Ultrasound tends to be better than mammography at detecting ILC, but may also underestimate the size of the tumor.
At the time of diagnosis and before surgery, your doctor may order magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the breast to evaluate the extent of the breast cancer and help with surgical management decisions. Breast MRI uses a magnet and radio waves to take pictures of the breast's interior.
The diagnosis of ILC can only be made by biopsy — removing samples of breast tissue for analysis in the laboratory. If the biopsy results confirm that you have ILC, the next step is to determine how advanced your cancer is — its stage, or extent and severity.
Cancer cells removed in a biopsy will also be tested for the presence or absence of receptors for estrogen and progesterone. ILC is almost always estrogen receptor positive, which means it may be treated with drugs that alter hormone interactions with the cancer cells.
