Everything You Need To Know About Mammograms

12/15/2022

What Are The Different Kinds of Breast Imaging?

3/31/2021

We offer many different kinds of breast imaging services at the Breast Place to help determine the health of your breasts anytime you come into our offices. Unsure of what the whole process is and if you'll need to experience one in the future? That is what we will be talking about today!

Welcome back, readers and warriors! We are so happy you have joined us today! With this beautiful spring weather that is starting to stick around here in the Lowcountry, we hope that you've had a chance to get outside and enjoy it! Keep staying safe and protected, and remember that allergy and flu season is still here. Please be conscious of all of your choices to help continue staying happy and safe. Our last blog was dedicated to mammograms and what to expect from the whole experience. Today, we are going to go a bit deeper and focus on the next step, all of the different kinds of breast imaging that are offered and what is offered at the Breast Place.

There are multiple ways to visualize the tissue within the breast and as technology changes, recommendations for screenings change every year. If you require breast imaging services, contact us for a consultation and recommendations for what kind of imaging we believe you need. Like we discussed in our last blog, mammography uses x-rays to look at calcification within the breast tissue. The newest technology is 3D mammography, also known as tomography. This imaging is recommended yearly for preventative health. Screening mammography is typically paid for by insurance under preventative services if the covered person falls within the contracted age range, but only once per year. Diagnostic mammography is used when there is a known problem within the breast. While we don't do mammography on-site, we work with almost all facilities in the area to order, schedule, and follow up on mammograms for our patients! If you would like to learn more about mammograms, please visit our last blog at:
https://www.thebreastplacesc.com/blog/how-to-prepare-for-a-mammogram

Breast Ultrasound

After mammograms, the second type of breast imaging is done by ultrasound. Breast ultrasounds use high-frequency sound waves to see changes in breast tissue like the appearance of cysts. If you are unsure what breast imaging is right for you, contact us to schedule a consultation with a licensed provider for a clinical breast exam, a review of your personal medical history, and a recommendation on what imaging is appropriate for you. Ultrasounds are very safe, they are non-invasive, and they do not use radiation. They can be used to show the composition of the breast and what the blood flow is like in any area that has been the cause of concern in your breast. An ultrasound can help doctors determine what their levels of suspicion should be when it comes to their previous findings and what the ultrasound has discovered.

The whole procedure requires very little preparation on the end of the patient. Please leave any jewelry at home, and we recommend that you wear comfortable clothing for the exam. Just like a mammogram, you will be asked to undress from the waist up and wear a gown for the procedure. During the procedure, a device called a transducer is moved over your breast, and it sends out sound waves that bounce off your breast tissue. These sound waves are at too high of a frequency for you to hear during the exam. The waves that bounce back are picked up by the transducer and create a picture of the inside of your breast. Another device called a Doppler Probe can also be used during this process. This probe will let your doctor hear the sound waves that are sent out through the breast, and they will hear how fast your blood is flowing through the blood vessels in your breasts. Faint sound or no sound at all might mean that you have a blockage in the blood flow through your breast, and could require more tests to find out why this is happening.

Breast MRI

The third type of imaging you might experience is an MRI. An MRI, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging, uses a strong magnet to measure the uptake of activity in areas of the breast tissues to look for abnormalities. A contrast solution is administered to identify abnormal areas within the breast tissue. Breast MRI is a common modality for patients considered high risk. During a breast MRI, the machine will capture multiple images of your breast. Once they are all taken, the images will be combined by a computer to create detailed pictures. An MRI is sometimes used when a woman has already been diagnosed with breast cancer. The MRI will help measure the size of the cancer, will look to see if there are any other tumors in the breast, and will see if there are any other tumors in the other breast. MRI can also be used to screen for cancer. Women who are at high risk for breast cancer will also receive an MRI along with their yearly mammograms for extra protection. An MRI can detect other forms of cancer that can sometimes be missed by a mammogram.

Dense Breasts

Women who have dense breasts have a higher risk for breast cancer. Up to 20% of breast cancers cannot be seen on traditional imaging if you have dense breasts. If you have been told you have dense breast tissue or have a question about the density of your breast tissue, contact us for a consultation for a breast exam and recommendations for screening. Dense breasts themselves have higher amounts of glandular tissue and fibrous connective tissues and relatively low amounts of fatty breast tissue. The only way to show if you have dense breasts is through a mammogram, it cannot be felt in a self-exam or an exam by your doctor. According to the National Cancer Institute, nearly half of all women that are 40 and over that get mammograms have dense breasts. Dense breasts can be inherited but can also be caused by using postmenopausal hormone replacement therapy and by having a low body mass index. Having children and as you grow older can cause the density of your breasts to lower. The denser the breast, the harder it is to receive clear readings from a mammogram. This can cause women to be called back in for more tests or screening as mammograms on women with dense breasts can miss cancer, putting them at higher risk. There are four different levels of breast density; almost entirely fatty, scattered areas of fibroglandular density, heterogeneously dense, and extremely dense. Heterogeneously and extremely dense categorized breasts are considered to be dense breasts.

Abnormal Breast Imaging

Women aged 40 and older are recommended to have annual mammograms. "Abnormal mammograms" can have many causes. Patients who have abnormal mammograms should have further evaluation. If you have ever had an abnormal mammogram or are being told your breast imaging is abnormal, it is recommended that your mammogram exam is followed up with a visit to a specialist. Contact us for a consultation with a dedicated breast specialist to include a clinical breast exam, a potential ultrasound in the office, cyst aspiration, biopsies, or breast MRI ordering if indicated. Please remember too, as we mentioned in our last blog, not all abnormal findings on your mammogram mean that you have cancer. It could be a calcium build-up, a benign condition, a cyst, a harmless lump, dense breast tissue, or a non-cancerous tumor! Also, distortions can happen on a mammogram too, causing inaccurate results. This might just mean you have to come back for clearer images to be taken. If you've had an abnormal mammogram you might have further tests done like a diagnostic mammogram, an ultrasound, MRI, or a biopsy. A biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure where a small amount of tissue is removed from the area in question for further tests. There are fine needled biopsies, core needed biopsies, and surgical biopsies. Also note that scar tissues can often appear white on a mammogram, which at first look can be alarming. Please make your doctor aware of any scarring on the breast before your mammogram.

There is more to caring for your breasts than just getting a yearly mammogram or giving yourself a monthly self-breast exam. All of us at the Breast Place want to make sure you know the extent that goes into caring for your breasts at all points in your life and what to expect once you begin getting mammograms. This knowledge can prepare you for the overall experience, what it can feel like, and what your results may or may not lead to. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to reach out to us or schedule a consultation! We are here for you, warriors! Let's keep fighting together one day at a time!

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How To Prepare For a Mammogram

3/17/2021

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While mammograms are a yearly procedure that we recommend for our patients that are in their 40's and beyond, there can still be so much mystery in what a mammogram is, how to prepare for one, and what to expect after the experience itself. Today, we are dedicating this blog to everything you need to know about the realities of a mammogram inside and out. We will also be talking about the before, during, and after process of getting one!

Hello warriors! Welcome back to the Breast Place Blog! It has been a very exciting few weeks with a visit from our friend Amanda Syfriend, making appearances at the #pinkintherink hockey game with the South Carolina Stingrays, and supporting an incredible local charity called Share our Suzy. Share our Suzy, for our readers new to the charity, helps local breast cancer patients pay for utility bills, groceries, wigs, childcare, and much more. We are constantly fighting for, supporting, and educating those who are fighting and those who could one day fight if we don't find a cure fast enough. This is one of the many reasons why we invest our time and efforts into our social media pages and our blog, we want to share and spread awareness, support our community, and do everything we can to help. We appreciate all of our readers, followers, and supporters for their love and kindness they've shown to each of these platforms, and we applaud you for helping us achieve these goals, spread our message, and help lift up our warriors and fighters. With a whole year under our belts since the pandemic has started, we are coming out exhausted in more ways than one. There is still so much unknown and we hope that as time goes on, we continue to see a light at the end of the tunnel together. Let's continue to stay safe and make safe choices for our loved ones.

Our last few blogs have been dedicated to our products and services that you can find when you visit our offices, their amazing results, and the power they can give to your self-esteem and self-confidence. Today, we are going to be circling back and talking directly about services related to breast cancer and the prevention of it. Today, we are going to be talking about mammograms. While they should become part of your regular yearly checkups once you're over the age of 40, there are still so many people who aren't getting them and so many who are unaware and unsure about what the whole process entails. Today, we are going to continue to use this platform as a tool for education to clear up any questions and confusion about mammograms, and to persuade you to get them if you're not already doing so.

What Is A Mammogram?

What comes to mind when you think about what a mammogram is? Just the squashing of your breasts between a piece of machinery to see if you have any signs of breast cancer? While that might be one way to think about it, there is so much more to it than that, and believe us it is worth your time and the compression you'll experience on your breasts. We've talked about mammogram benefits in our blogs over the last few years and why you begin getting them once you turn 40. One of the reasons why women under the age of 40 don't get them is that the tissue in your breasts is too firm to be penetrated with the X-ray that is used in the procedure itself. This is why it can be so difficult to detect breast cancer in women 40 and young. Once you hit 40 and begin to go through menopause, your breast tissue becomes less dense and not as firm, allowing the X-ray to penetrate the breast better. First and foremost, it is very important to remember that mammograms are a very important role in early breast cancer detection to help find it sooner, treat it faster, and help to lower the number of fatalities due to breast cancer.

Mammograms are done both for screening and diagnostic purposes. Once your doctor begins to advise you to start getting them, usually around the time you turn 40, these mammograms are used to detect any changes in the breast in women who have shown no previous signs or symptoms of cancer. This can help detect cancer before clinical signs begin. A diagnostic mammogram is used to investigate anything unusual that has appeared in a woman's breast including lumps, pain, changes in skin appearance, and more. This mammogram will include more images than a normal screening. According to the American Cancer Society, women with a normal risk of cancer should receive a mammogram every year starting at age 45 until age 54, while the Preventative Services Task Force recommends screening every two years, starting at age 50 until 74. Those with a higher risk of breast cancer will benefit from starting mammograms sooner, and it is best to speak to your doctor about when best to begin your mammogram process. During the mammogram itself, a patient's breasts will be compressed between two separate hard surfaces to help spread out the breast tissue. This will help the X-ray capture images of the breasts. Once the breasts have been compressed, an X-ray takes black and white photos of the breasts that will then be examined by your doctor for any signs of abnormalities or cancer.

Tips for Getting a Mammogram

You're scheduled for your first mammogram, and you know the basics of what it is and what's going to happen. What are some other things to keep in mind to make it a comfortable experience?

Don't be afraid about getting a mammogram. According to the American Cancer Society, only 2 to 4 in 1000 screenings leads to a diagnosis. The more you know, the better you can prevent it!
Choose a facility that frequently or only does mammograms, and once you begin going to a facility keep going to the same one. if you have any questions, we can help with that!
Make sure to dress comfortably. It is recommended to wear pants or a skirt, so all you need to remove is your top for the exam.
If this is your first mammogram, please come prepared with a full medical history and share any changes or abnormalities that have appeared in your breasts. Also, bring a list of any treatments you've had done to your breasts in the past.
It's recommended not to get a mammogram during the week before your period. To avoid extra discomfort, schedule an appointment when your breasts aren't tender and swollen. This also helps with the quality of the photos that the X-ray will take.
On exam day, don't wear antiperspirants or deodorants. They can contain ingredients that can show up on the X-ray as white spots.
If you are breastfeeding or think you could be pregnant, please share this information with your doctor before your exam.
During the exam, the procedure will only last 20 minutes and the compression will last a few seconds on each breast. If it does hurt, please tell the tech. Two views of your breasts will be taken, but if you have implants or larger breasts, more might be needed.
You will have to undress above the waist but you will be given a wrap to wear during your exam. A tech will be the only one in the room with you.
You will be standing for the exam, so comfortable shoes are recommended.
Caffeine can make your breasts feel more tender, so limiting your coffee, tea, soda, and chocolate intake a few days before your exam can be helpful.
Eat and drink as you normally would before your appointment, and take your daily medications too.
Don't wear necklaces during the exam, it's best to leave them at home.

What To Expect After a Mammogram?

You've made your appointment and have been seen by the doctor, now what?

Once you've finished at the doctor's office, you're all set! It is recommended that while at the doctor's to just go ahead and schedule your next visit.
The pain and discomfort felt during the exam should stop very shortly after compression, but aching can be felt for a few days after the exam. Using an anti-inflammatory, a heating pad or bath, and avoiding tight clothes can help!
Once you're finished, your doctor will send your full results to your healthcare provider along with a summary mailed directly to you. If you don't hear back from your provider 10 days after the exam, make sure to call and check-in.
Please know it is very common to be called back after your screening. Your doctor might have found something they want to look at a little closer just to be safe. This call back will most likely lead to more pictures and tests. This is when a diagnostic mammogram is used!
You might also need to get an ultrasound on the area doctors want a better look at and an MRI is also possible.
You could be told one of three things in this situation; that it is nothing to worry about and to continue with your regular screenings, that it's nothing to worry about but just to be safe you should come back in 6 months, or that it could be cancer and you need to get a biopsy. Remember, even if you do get a biopsy this still doesn't mean you have cancer!

If you have any more questions about mammograms and the experience of getting one, please do not hesitate to reach out! We are here to answer any questions and calm any worries. Until next time warriors, stay strong and keep fighting!

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Everything You Need To Know About Mammograms

What Are The Different Kinds of Breast Imaging?

How To Prepare For a Mammogram

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