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Kopie von Explanation Breast CT Blog (English)(16)

26. June 2025

How is Breast Cancer Diagnosed?

A suspicion of breast cancer brings many questions. What does it mean? What happens next? What can I expect? The typical path to diagnosis involves several steps. In this article, we provide an overview of the key stages.

Step 1: Suspicion

You may notice a change in your breast yourself, or it might be detected by your doctor. While not every lump means cancer, every abnormality should be taken seriously and examined further.

Step 2: Clinical Examination

After suspicion arises, a physical examination is usually carried out by a specialist. The breast is palpated to check for visible or tangible changes.

Step 3: Diagnostic Imaging

Depending on the findings, various imaging methods are used to investigate abnormalities in the breast further.

    • Mammography: A well-established X-ray technique that can detect even small changes in breast tissue. However, its effectiveness may be limited in dense breast tissue, as overlapping structures can obscure potential changes. If mammography shows a suspicious result, further tests are necessary.
    • Ultrasound: If the mammography images are inconclusive, doctors may order an ultrasound examination.
    • MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): MRI is not a standard test but may be used when other methods cannot clearly determine whether it is breast cancer. It offers highly sensitive 3D imaging but has a higher false-positive rate (suggesting cancer when there is none) than other imaging methods.
    • Breast CT: Breast computed tomography is a modern, specialized 3D technique based on so-called photon-counting technology. The breast is not compressed but lies freely while the patient is in a prone position, making the procedure more comfortable for many patients. Thanks to its high resolution, even small tissue changes can be reliably detected – including in dense breasts, where conventional mammography may reach its limits.

    Comparison of Imaging Technologies

    Step 4: Tissue Sampling & Pathology

    If imaging reveals an abnormality, a biopsy is usually performed to confirm the diagnosis. A small tissue sample is taken from the breast and examined in the laboratory to determine whether the change is benign or malignant (breast cancer).

    Step 5: Further Examinations

    If the suspicion of breast cancer is confirmed, additional tests are conducted to determine whether the disease has spread to other areas of the body. Depending on the tumor stage, biological characteristics, and clinical signs, different investigations may be carried out, such as:

    • Blood tests to check organ function and inflammation levels.
    • Imaging such as CT, PET-CT, or bone scans to search for metastases.
    • Lymph node biopsy to assess tumor spread.

    Step 6: Treatment Options

    Once all relevant test results are available, treatment options will be discussed with the medical team. Possible treatments include surgery, antibody therapy, chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and more. The treatments which are used depend on many individual factors, such as the type and spread of the tumor and the patient’s overall health.


    If you are uncertain or have questions, talk openly with your doctor. They are there to guide you through this process and help make the best possible decision together

    Step 7: Follow-Up Care

    After the initial cancer treatment is completed, follow-up care begins with the goal of monitoring the success of the treatment and detecting any recurrence early. Follow-up care is tailored to the individual situation and can vary in length. A general rule of thumb is five years – sometimes more, sometimes less, depending on the case.

    A breast cancer diagnosis is never easy. It can turn life upside down and brings many questions. Getting informed is often the first step toward clarity.
    In our blog, you’ll find more articles about breast health that can help provide guidance.

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