Can a mammogram detect if I've had fat grafting?

Question

I have conducted fat grafting few years ago. And I am going to do mammogram later. I hope the test could not tell others that I have done fat grafting, is that possible?

Lawrence Iteld, MD · Answer

Mammograms are an essential preventative study that helps identify pre-cancerous or cancerous changes that may not be able to be felt on self-exam. Fat grafting to the breast does not interfere with mammography. On occasion, there may be some changes from the grafting procedure that are identifiable on the images, but these are easily discerned from (pre)cancerous changes.Please let your mammographer know if you have had any prior procedures on your breast including: implants, fat transfers, biopsies, etc. This allows them to interpret your images most accurately.

Kenneth Hughes, MD · Answer

It is possible to see some of the post-operative change.  Calcification can occur after any fat transfer procedure.  I am not sure that the data has been collected on rate of calcification, and then the issue becomes whether that is clinically significant.  The calcifications can be discerned from those for malignancy by most radiologists.  
Kenneth Hughes, MD, Board Certified Plastic Surgeon
Los Angeles, CA

Connie Hiers, MD, FACS · Answer

Oil cysts may appear on mammagrams, and these are usually the result of fat grafting. You might also have some small areas of fat necrosis where the fat cells died, which is also visible on mammagrams.  Otherwise, the transferred fat just blends in with the breast tissue. I would suggest telling the Xray technician that you did have fat transfer previously. If the radiologist knows this up front, he/she may not be too quick to suggest a breast biopsy for these areas.

Karol A. Gutowski, MD, FACS · Answer

In most cases, there are changes after fat grafting that can be seen on a mammogram. You should tell the mammography center that you had this done.

Can a mammogram detect if I've had fat grafting?

Answers (4)

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