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PATIENT
INFO
> FAQs
Who should have a mammogram?
 The
American Cancer Society
(ACS) recommends that all woman have a screening mammogram annually beginning at
age 40. Younger women with a strong family history of
breast cancer may be advised by their doctors to start mammograms before age
40.
Why are mammograms recommended for these groups?
Studies consistently have shown that mammograms are the
most reliable way to find breast cancer early – and that’s when it is most
curable. Deaths from breast cancer have been declining since 1990, as a result
of earlier detection through mammography combined with improved treatments.
 Does mammography find all breast cancer?
No. Mammograms are the key to
finding breast cancer in early stages, but they find only about 80 percent of
breast cancer. They are not perfect, but, as Dr. Bertrand notes, “they are the
best tool we have now.”
Does it matter where I get my mammogram?
Yes. All mammography centers have to be accredited by the
FDA, but there are major differences from facility to facility in the experience
level of the staff and the radiologists and in the equipment that is used.
Studies have shown that centers that perform the highest volumes of screening
mammograms and doctors with the greatest years of experience perform best in
correctly reading mammograms. In other words, the more that a staff performs,
the better they become at positioning women correctly for mammograms. And the
more mammograms a radiologist reads, the better he or she becomes at detecting
breast cancer on them. Our six radiology
technologists have a combined 80-plus years of experience, and Dr. Bertrand has
25-plus years of experience in mammography. In addition, our center is
equipped with the R2 ImageChecker, an important aid in detecting breast cancer.
 Why is the R2 ImageChecker
such an important tool?
The R2 ImageChecker, a
sophisticated computer-aided detection (CAD) system that scans a mammogram for
certain characteristics and marks areas for further investigation by the
radiologist, has been shown in clinical studies to find up to 19 percent
more cancers than the physician’s eye alone. We use the R2 ImageChecker to
provide a second look at all mammograms. After reading the patient’s mammogram,
Dr. Bertrand then reexamines the image looking at all areas marked by the
ImageChecker. Our mammography center was the first in North Carolina and
only the 28th center in the country to adopt this advanced system for
finding breast cancer.
R2
ImageChecker
Are there other screenings I should have for breast
cancer besides a mammogram?
Yes. A trained doctor sometimes can feel a lump that has
not shown up on a mammogram or been felt by the woman. The American Cancer
Society recommends clinical breast exams by a health care provider trained in
breast examination every three years for women in their 20s and 30s and every
year for women 40 and older. It is also recommended that women do regular breast
self-examination. (Not sure how to do it? To see the technique,
click here.)
Should I have an ultrasound instead of a mammogram?
No. A mammogram should be the starting point for all
screenings. Ultrasound will not show small calcifications in the breast that
can be a precursor to invasive cancer. Ultrasound can be valuable, though, in
looking further at an area where something unusual is seen on a mammogram and
determining whether it is a solid mass or a fluid-filled cyst. It also can be
helpful in providing a closer look at the breasts of women who have very dense,
glandular breasts.
Isn’t an MRI better at finding breast cancer than a
mammogram?
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans are not useful as a
tool for mass screening now because of their high cost and their invasiveness
(an IV drip is required). However, this technique, which uses magnetic fields
rather than radiation to create images, can be valuable as a way of getting a
second look at especially dense breasts or at an area of concern in a patient’s
breast.
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Mammogram
