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Pre Exam
Instructions:
Do not wear deodorant,
lotions, etc. on underarms or breast
area.
What is
Mammography?
A mammogram is a
breast x-ray that is used to find breast
cancer that is too small for you or your
doctor to detect.
Because we are
committed to providing the earliest
possible detection of breast cancer, The
Imaging Center offers computer aided
analysis with mammography. The iCAD
diagnostic system with Second Look
software is a highly sophisticated
diagnostic tool used in conjunction with
mammography for early detection of
breast cancer. According to American
Cancer Society research, the five year
survival rate for breast cancer patients
decreases from 96% for early stage
cancers to 20% for late stage cancers
that have spread to other organs. By
diagnosing breast cancer as early as
possible, survival rates will be higher.
The benefits of CAD technology are
significant in identifying breast tissue
patterns consistent with potentially
cancerous lesions at an earlier stage,
this improving the prognosis for long
term survival.
For more information
about iCAD, to http://www.icadmed.com
Why do I need
this exam?
A mammogram is the
most effective way to detect breast
cancer in its early stages. Early
detection of breast cancer has been
found to increase chances of recovery
from Breast Cancer. A woman's need for a
mammogram increases with age. All women
over the age of 40 should have a
clinical breast exam and mammogram once
a year. Women with a higher chance of
breast cancer because of heredity and
other factors may be screened before age
40 or more frequently. Ask your doctor
about your risk factors.
What should I
expect when I arrive?
You will be greeted at
the front desk and then led into a
special mammography suite by one of our
mammogram specialists. Here you will be
given a dressing gown and asked to fill
out some basic health information. If
you have had a mammogram before, it is
helpful to bring that information with
you (time and place of your last exam),
so that the radiologist can compare your
new mammogram images with your past
ones.
How long will
the exam take?
Although actual scan
times take approximately 5-10 minutes,
please allow an additional twenty
minutes for registration, review of
medical history, changing/dressing, and
image processing.
What happens
after the exam?
Your exam will be
interpreted by a board-certified
radiologist with many years of training
and professional experience. A report
will be sent to your doctor within 24
hours and he or she will contact you
with the results. Your physician will
review your clinical history in
conjunction with exam results to provide
you with the most accurate diagnosis and
optimal treatment plan.
Special Concerns
For your annual
Bilateral Screening mammogram, you do
not need a doctor's order. For any
Bilateral or Unilateral Diagnostic
Mammogram, a doctors order is required.
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Mammography