A

Assessment
Some women will need further tests to check something after a screening mammogram – this is called assessment.

Assessment clinic
At our assessment clinic, a team of specialists carry out further tests to check your breast tissue.

Asymptomatic
When you have no symptoms of an illness.

B

Benign
Non-cancerous. Benign lumps do not spread to other parts of the body.

Biopsy
A procedure that takes a small piece of tissue from part of the body. This is sent for laboratory analysis by a pathologist.

Breast aware
Knowing the normal look and feel of your breasts so you can detect any changes.

Breast cancer
A collection of abnormal cells in the breast that grow in an uncontrolled way.

Breast density
Breasts are made up of a combination of fatty tissue and fibroglandular tissue. Breast density refers to the proportion of fibroglandular tissue in the breast.

Breast screening
A way of detecting breast cancer early before any symptoms develop.

Breast surgeon
A surgeon who specialises in operating on the breast.

C

Compression
Pressing of the breast between two plates of an x-ray machine.

D

Diagnosis
The process of working out what disease or illness a person has.

Diagnostic tests
Diagnostic tests and scans are used to diagnose a medical condition, often following symptoms and signs.

Diagnostic mammograms
Diagnostic mammograms are more detailed tests to investigate symptoms of breast cancer.

E

Early detection
Finding cancer as early as possible, either by recognising early symptoms of cancer, or by screening to find cancers before they cause any symptoms.

F

Family history
Health information about a person and their direct relatives, which may show a pattern of diseases in a family.

Further tests
If you are recalled for further tests, our radiologists may have noticed an area of concern that we need to look more closely at. These tests check whether this is normal for you or is due to cancer.

G

GP
An abbreviation of ‘general practitioner’.

General practitioner
A specially trained doctor who delivers health care in the community.

I

Interpreter
A trained professional who helps clients and their families communicate with doctors and others in their own language.

Inversion
Nipple inversion is when the nipple grows inwards instead of out.

L

Lifestyle factors
Behaviours that are a part of everyday life that are associated with an increased or decreased risk of cancer.

M

Malignant
Cancerous. Malignant cells can spread around the body if they aren’t treated.

Mammogram
An x-ray of the breast.

Mastectomy
The surgical removal of the whole breast.

Medicare
Australia’s public health scheme that is funded by the federal government.

Multidisciplinary team
A team of doctors, nurses and allied health professionals who work together to manage the care of patients.

N

Needle biopsy
A type of biopsy where a small sample of tissue is removed using a needle, for examination in a laboratory by a pathologist.

Non-malignant
Not cancerous or benign. Non-malignant cells do not spread around the body.

P

Pathologist
A specialist doctor who examines cells, tissues, or bodily fluids to identify abnormalities or diagnose cancer.

Population-based screening
An organised, systematic, and integrated process of testing for signs of cancer or pre-cancerous conditions in populations without obvious symptoms. Screening programs target specific populations and/or age groups where evidence shows screening to be most effective.

R

Radiation
Radiation is a natural part of our environment. It comes from cosmic rays, radioactive materials in rocks and soil, a naturally occurring radioactive gas radon in the air, all human food sources including drinking water and even from our body. Importantly, not all levels of a radiation dose are harmful.

Radiographer
A health professional who performs medical imaging tests, such as x-rays.

Radiologist
A doctor who specialises in diagnosing and treating diseases using medical imaging techniques, such as x-rays, ultrasounds, and MRIs.

Risk factor
Something that may increase a person’s risk of getting cancer.

S

Screening
Testing large groups of people to diagnose cancer early, before symptoms start to show e.g. breast cancer screening.

Screening interval
The recommended time between breast screens.

Surgeon
A specialist doctor who treats diseases using surgery.

Surgery
A type of treatment that involves operation, for example to remove a tumour from the body.

Symptoms
Changes to the body that a person notices e.g. lump or pain.

T

Tumour
A new or abnormal growth of tissue or cells on or in the body. A tumour may be benign (not cancer) or malignant (cancer).

U

Ultrasound
An imaging procedure used to look at organs inside the body. It uses high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) to form a picture of body tissues.

X

X-ray
An imaging procedure which uses radiation (x-rays) to take pictures of parts of the body.