Mammography Screening

Call TODAY to schedule your $99 screening mammogram at the Cancer Resource Center, 1-800-940-2822. It could save your life.

The National Cancer Institute reaffirms its support...

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) recently reaffirmed its support for mammography. “While we seek improved methods of diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer, today mammography remains an important part of our effort to save lives through early detection,” said Andrew von Eschenbach, M.D., director of the NCI. “Early detection of cancer saves lives and we continue to recommend mammography for women in their 40s and older.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in the United States. In 2001, an estimated 192,200 women were diagnosed with breast cancer, and 40,600 women died from the disease. Cancer Resource Center has been assisting in the early detection of breast cancer since 1997, by performing on-site mammograms in a suite accredited by the American College of Radiology. The mammograms are performed in a comfortable and professional setting and are available for the lowest price in Lake County.

You may have a lot of questions about how to prevent breast cancer. What screening methods are used in the early detection of breast cancer? Who’s at risk? What is a mammogram and what is the procedure? You’ll find your answers here.

According to the National Cancer Institute, age is the most important risk factor for breast cancer. The older a woman is, the greater her chance of developing breast cancer. A woman’s chance of being diagnosed with breast cancer is:

Most breast cancers occur in women over the age of 50; the number of cases is especially high for women over age 40.

1. Self-exam: A breast exam is important for observing and examining your breasts for any changes in their normal texture and appearance. You should do a self-exam once a month, about the same time every month. The best time to do the self-exam is right after your monthly period. It is recommended women begin self-exams by age 20. Eighty percent of the women diagnosed with breast cancer originally find it themselves. Call the Cancer Resource Center to request a shower card on how to perform a self-exam.
   
   
2. Clinical exam: Your health care provider will conduct a clinical breast exam to check for changes or abnormalities in your breasts. You should have an annual check-up by your primary care physician or a gynecologist.
   
   
3. Mammogram: Images of the breast, i.e. mammograms, are taken to help detect abnormalities or lumps that may indicate early stages of breast cancer. There are two types of mammography systems: conventional and digital.
   • Conventional: Conventional mammography takes an x-ray image of the breast tissue. The image is developed into printed images that allow the radiologist to examine for any abnormalities.
   • Digital: Digital mammography uses x-rays to create an image of the breast on a computer screen. The image is analyzed from the computer picture, printed, and stored as a reference for your future mammograms. Conventional mammograms can be converted to digital images.
   
   
4. Ultrasound or sonogram: If a lump is found, a doctor will request to have an ultrasound performed. This exam uses high frequency sound waves to further evaluate the lump or mammogram finding. It assists in determining if the area of concern is a fluid-filled cyst or if it is solid tissue that may be cancer.
   
   
5. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): This is a procedure used in addition to a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound. It is a painless procedure in which radio waves and powerful magnets linked to a computer are used to create detailed pictures of areas inside the body without use of radiation. These pictures show the difference between normal and diseased tissue. This is usually used to detect breast cancer in women who are at greater risk of developing breast cancer before age 40.
   
   
6. Ductogram: Also known as a galactogram. This is sometimes used to determine the cause of nipple discharge. The test involves placing a small amount of fluid into the nipple through a tiny plastic tube. The fluid can be seen on an x-ray, which can then show if there is a mass inside the duct.

A mammogram is an x-ray test that captures an image of the inner breast tissue on film or digitally. This technique, called mammography, is used to visualize normal and abnormal structures within the breasts. Mammography, therefore, can help in identifying cysts, calcifications, and tumors within the breast. It is currently the most effective way to detect early breast cancer.

A mammogram can show cancer that is too small for you or your doctor to feel. Several large studies conducted around the world show that breast cancer screening with mammograms reduces the number of deaths from breast cancer for women ages 40 to 69, especially those over age 50.

According to the American Cancer Society, Women in their 20s and 30s should have a clinical breast exam (CBE) as part of a regular health exam by a health professional, preferably every 3 years.

Women age 40 and over should have a breast exam by a health professional and a screening mammogram every year. They should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health.

Mammograms for older women (over age 65) should be based on the woman’s health and whether or not she has other serious illnesses. Age alone should not be the reason to stop having regular mammograms. As long as a woman is in good health and would be a candidate for treatment, she should continue to have mammograms.

In order to spread the tissue apart, the breast is compressed between two plastic plates attached to the mammogram machine unit. This squeezing or compression ensures that there will be very little movement, that the image is sharper, and that the exam can be done with a lower x-ray dose. Although this compression may be uncomfortable, it lasts only for a few seconds and is necessary to produce a good mammogram. The entire procedure for a mammogram takes about 20 minutes.

The modern mammography system uses very low doses of radiation to make high-resolution (highly detailed) images of your breast tissues and anything in it, be it good or bad. Radiation is measured in rads. A typical mammography view (individual x-ray shots) is around 0.1– 0.2 rads. For dental x-rays, a bitewig is around 0.3 rads and a panoramic is around 1.1 rads. Both mammograms and dental x-rays have very low doses of radiation.

Cancer Resource Center will deliver the mammogram films to our board-certified radiologist and results will be reported to both the patient and her physician.