Clinical breast exam: A thorough clinical exam, can reveal any lumps, if formed. A self breast examination can also be done on a regular basis.

Mammograms: A low radiation X-ray called screening mammogram is the best tool available for detecting breast cancer early, before symptoms appear. Mammograms can often detect a breast lump before it can be felt. It also shows small deposits of calcium in the breast. Although most calcium deposits are benign, a cluster of very tiny specks of calcium (called microcalcifications) may be an early sign of cancer.

Ultrasonography: Using high-frequency sound waves, ultrasonography can often show whether a lump is a fluid-filled cyst (not cancer) or a solid mass (which may or may not be cancer).

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): MRI is used to define the size and extent of cancer within the breast tissue. It is mostly used in women whose dense breast tissue makes it more difficult to find tumors with a mammogram.

Digital Mammography: Digital mammography is similar to standard mammography and it uses radiographs to image the breast. The advantage of digital mammography is that images are stored digitally and can be enhanced by modifying the brightness or contrast. These images can be transmitted by telephone lines for remote consultation.

Biopsy: This procedure takes a tissue sample to be examined under the microscope.

Fine needle aspiration: A thin needle is used to remove fluid and/or cells from a breast lump. If the fluid is clear, it may not need to be checked by a lab.

Needle biopsy: Using special techniques, tissue can be removed with a needle from an area that looks suspicious on a mammogram but cannot be felt. Tissue removed in a needle biopsy goes to a lab to be checked by a pathologist for cancer cells.

Stereotactic needle biopsy: This procedure uses a mammogram-directed technique using computerized mammogram breast images which helps to map the exact location of the breast lump.

Surgical biopsy: In an incisional biopsy, the surgeon cuts out a sample of a lump or suspicious area. In an excisional biopsy, the surgeon removes all of a lump or suspicious area and an area of healthy tissue around the edges. A pathologist then examines the tissue under a microscope to check for cancer cells.

In February 2007 the FDA formally approved the Mamma Print test that has the ability topredict breast cancer recurrence in women with early stage breast cancer. This determines how aggressively the initial tumor needs to be treated.