Breast cancer is one of the most common and deadly cancers among women, affecting one in eight women in their lifetime. Early detection is crucial for improving survival rates and reducing the need for invasive treatments. However, many women face challenges in getting accurate and timely screenings, especially if they have dense breast tissue or breast implants, which can obscure cancerous growths in mammograms.
Fortunately, a new ultrasound technology called SonoCiné is changing the game for breast cancer detection. SonoCiné is a radiation-free and painless scan that can see through all types of breast tissue and implants, and detect cancer as small as 3mm. Unlike conventional ultrasounds, which are hand-held by the technician and prone to human error, SonoCiné is automated and scans the entire breast area from the lymph nodes to the chest wall, taking 3,000 images and creating a movie. This way, the ultrasound can capture every detail and angle of the breast tissue, and reveal any suspicious lesions that might be missed by mammograms.
Meet Jasmine Khorsandi, the Breast Health Educator Behind SonoBreasts
One of the pioneers of SonoCiné is Jasmine Khorsandi, a Los Angeles-based ultrasound technician and breast health educator who runs SonoBreasts, a private practice that offers SonoCiné screenings to women of all ages and backgrounds. Khorsandi has been using SonoCiné for the past eight years, and has detected cancer that was not found by mammograms in many of her clients, saving their lives and helping them avoid harsh treatments.
Khorsandi’s passion for breast health stems from her personal experience with breast cancer. When she was 19, she found a lump in her breast and was told by her doctor that it was nothing to worry about. However, she insisted on getting an ultrasound, which revealed that she had stage 2 breast cancer. She underwent a lumpectomy, chemotherapy, and radiation, and survived the ordeal. Since then, she has dedicated her life to educating women about their breasts and the importance of early detection.
Khorsandi’s work has attracted the attention of many celebrities, including Gwyneth Paltrow, Drew Barrymore, Mindy Kaling, Whitney Cummings, and Jameela Jamil, who have praised her for her professionalism, compassion, and expertise. Khorsandi has also been featured in various media outlets, such as SheKnows, CocoEcoMag, Medium, and Moms.com, where she shares her story and raises awareness about SonoCiné and breast cancer .
How SonoCiné Works and Why It Matters
SonoCiné is a simple and non-invasive procedure that takes about 15 minutes to complete. The client lies on a table with a gel pad on her chest, and a transducer moves over her breast, capturing images in a circular motion. The images are then sent to a radiologist, who reviews them and sends a report to Khorsandi, who discusses the results with the client and recommends the next steps.
SonoCiné is not a replacement for mammograms, but rather an additional service that can complement them and increase the chances of finding cancer early. According to a study by Dr. Kevin Kelly, the inventor of SonoCiné, combining mammograms with SonoCiné detected twice as many cancers, and three times as many small cancers, as mammograms alone. SonoCiné is especially beneficial for women who have dense breast tissue, which makes up about 50% of the female population, and women who have breast implants, which can interfere with the visibility of mammograms.
SonoCiné is also more comfortable and safer than mammograms, as it does not involve any radiation, compression, or injection of contrast agents. Moreover, SonoCiné can detect cancer at an earlier stage, when it is more treatable and less likely to spread. According to Khorsandi, SonoCiné can find cancer up to four years before mammograms, and up to eight years before it becomes palpable.
How to Get a SonoCiné Screening and What to Expect
SonoCiné is currently available in select locations across the United States, and can be accessed by visiting SonoCiné.com and typing in your zip code to find the nearest office. The cost of SonoCiné varies depending on the provider, but it is usually around $300, and may be covered by some insurance plans.
Khorsandi recommends that women get a SonoCiné screening once a year, starting from the age of 25, or as soon as they notice any changes or abnormalities in their breasts. She also advises women to perform regular self-exams, and to listen to their intuition and body signals. She says that SonoCiné is not only a diagnostic tool, but also a preventive one, as it can help women monitor their breast health and catch any problems early.
Khorsandi’s mission is to make SonoCiné more accessible and affordable to all women, regardless of their age, income, or location. She hopes that SonoCiné will become the standard of care for breast cancer detection, and that more women will take advantage of this technology and empower themselves with knowledge and awareness. She believes that SonoCiné is not only a life-saving device, but also a life-changing one, as it can give women peace of mind, confidence, and hope.
