Ultrasound imaging uses sound waves to create a picture of the inside of the body. During a breast ultrasound, a technologist captures images of the breast tissue. They hold a wand, known as a transducer, over the breasts throughout the imaging tests. The transducer sends sound waves that bounce off the breast tissue, traveling back to the transducer and creating an image.
A breast ultrasound isn’t typically a screening tool for breast cancer. Instead, a physician might order an ultrasound, also called a sonogram, of the breasts if a screening mammogram produces unusual results. A physician might also use a breast ultrasound as a visual guide while performing a biopsy of the breasts.