Self breast examination

1. BREAST SELF
EXAMINATION
Mrs. U SREEVIDYA,
Msc. NURSING,
Associate Professor,
Apollo college of nursing,
CHITTOOR

2. DEFINITION
• Breast self-examination (BSE) is a
screening method used in an attempt to
detect early breast cancer.
• The method involves the woman herself
looking at and feeling each breast for
possible lumps, distortions or swelling.

3. WHEN?
• Women older than 20 years should perform
monthly breast self-examinations (BSE).
• If still have menstrual periods, ……… should
perform the examination a few days after period
has ended. During this time, breasts are not
tender.
• If not menstruating (such as in menopause), BSE
should be performed on the same day each month.

4. METHOD

5. • This pictorial example of breast self-
examination in six steps. . .
• Steps 1-3 involve inspection of the breast with the
arms hanging next to the body, behind the head
and in the side.
• Step 4 is palpation of the breast.
• Step 5 is palpation of the nipple.
• Step 6 is palpation of the breast while lying down.

6. TYPES OF PALPATION
• Circular movements
• Linear method
• Wedge method

9. HOW?
1. Facing a mirror……..
• Stand before a mirror and compare both
breasts for differences in size, nipple
inversion (turning in), bulging, or
dimpling. Note any skin or nipple changes,
such as a hard knot or nipple discharge.

10. STEPS OF INSPECTION
FOUR STEPS……
With your arms at your sides
With your arms over head
With your hands on hips and press firmly to flex chest
muscles
Bent forward to inspect the breasts
In these positions, pectoral muscles are contracted,
and a subtle dimpling of the skin may appear, if a
growing tumor has affected a ligament.

11. 2. Lying down…………………
RIGHT BREAST
• Place a pillow under right shoulder
• Put right hand under head
• Check the entire breast area with the finger pads of
left hand
• Use small circles and follow an up-and-down
pattern
• Use light, medium and firm pressure over each area
of the breast
• Feel the breast with the surfaces of the second, third
and fourth fingers, moving systematically and using
small, circular motions from the nipple to the outer
margins
• Gently squeeze the nipple for any discharge.

12. LEFT BREAST
• Repeat the same steps on left breast using
right hand.

13. 3. In the shower……….
• A BSE can easily be performed while the woman is
in the bath or shower. Some women discover breast
masses when their skin is moist.
STEPS:
1. Raise the right arm
2. With soapy hands and fingers flat, check
the right breast
3. Use the same small circles and up-and-
down pattern to exam the breast
4. Repeat on the left breast.

15. MAMMOGRAPHY

16. • Mammography is the process of using low-dose
amplitude-X-rays to examine the human breast
and is used as a diagnostic and a screening tool.
Goal. .
Early detection of breast cancer, typically
through detection of characteristic masses and/or
micro calcifications.
Mammography is believed to reduce mortality from
breast cancer.
MAMMOGRAPHY

17. Normal (left) versus
cancerous (right)
mammography image

18. THANK YOU