Digital Mammography
A mammogram is, simply, an x-ray of the breast. Screening Mammography is used to look for abnormalities in breast tissue among women who don't have any known breast problems. Four routine views are obtained, which are later interpreted by the radiologist.
For women who have an initial complaint like a lump, a change in the texture of the skin, or nipple discharge, a Diagnostic Mammogram is performed. This exam may include additional mammography images and ultrasound evaluation. This entire evaluation is performed in a single appointment and the GCM radiologist will talk with you about the results and any other recommendations at that appointment.
The American Cancer Society recommends that women forty years of age and older have a screening mammogram every year. If you are at increased risk of developing breast cancer, your doctor may recommend beginning screening mammography at an earlier age, or adding breast MRI as an adjunct, screening exam.
There is no special preparation for a mammogram, but it is helpful if you avoid using deodorant, lotion, cologne, or perfume. For your own comfort, consider wearing a loose-fitting shirt that buttons up the front.
It is a good idea to establish a relationship with GCM Radiology, and return to us each year for your screening mammograms. Having previous years' mammograms on file helps us to notice subtle changes in your breast tissue that can alert us to a need for further study. Of course, if you have previous outside mammograms, GCM Radiology will compare these studies to your current GCM mammograms if they are available.
To help us acquire images, your breast will be pressed between two plates to flatten the breast tissue. We then apply a small amount of radiation to take a picture of that tissue.
In the past, women had to wait for their films to be developed to know if their mammograms had provided clear enough images for the radiologist to evaluate. At GCM Radiology, we use Digital Mammography, which not only eliminates the delay of film processing, but also allows our radiologists to use a computer to manipulate your images to assist them in their evaluation.
Digital Mammography has been shown to be more accurate in identifying cancer in women younger than 50 years of age, pre- or peri-menopausal women, and in women with dense breast tissue.
About 5-10 percent of women are asked to have further imaging studies based on a screening mammogram. We know it is stressful to be asked to allow us to take more images, but very few women who are called back will actually have cancer. The American Cancer Society's statistics show that only 2 to 4 of every 1,000 mammograms leads to a diagnosis of cancer. If you are among that very small number, these additional images will allow us to identify your cancer early, so you can begin your treatments without delay.
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