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BREAST IMAGING/ MAMMOGRAPHY
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Newsflash!
> Are you due for your
annual mammogram? We now have same day appointments for
screening mammograms at all three campuses and Open Access
at the Cambridge Breast Center at both the Cambridge and Whidden
campus locations. Call 617-665-1298 today.
> Baum joins Camb. Health
Alliance, Boston Globe,
By Chris Reidy 5/15/2007 --
 Cambridge
Health Alliance announced today that Dr. Janet K. Baum
is its new director of breast imaging.
Baum comes to CHA from the Henry
Ford Health System in Detroit, where she was the director
of the division of breast imaging, the Cambridge Health Alliance
said.
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What is mammography and how does
it work?
What is it like to have a mammogram?
How do I prepare for a mammogram?
What is digital mammography?
How do I make an appointment?
What happens if something is found on my mammogram?
Referral information for physicians
Additional
information on Mammography
Visit
the Cambridge Breast Center
What is mammography and how does it work?
Breast imaging, or mammography, uses x-rays to create
an image of tissue inside the breast. Mammography is used to spot
lumps, tumors and other abnormalities that are too small to be found
by feeling them. There are two basic types of mammograms, depending
on why the test is being done:
- Screening mammograms. This is a routine
test to look at breast tissue. It is used to look for changes
in breast tissue in women with no signs of breast cancer. Your
first exam will be the "baseline" mammogram that will
be used to compare the results in future years and see changes.
What is it like to have a mammogram?
When you arrive for your appointment, you will be
taken into a private changing room and will remove your clothing
from the waist up and put on a gown. You will then be brought to
a separate waiting area and taken in to the mammography room.
The entire appointment takes less than 30 minutes.
When you come into the room, the technologist, who is a woman, will
help you stand in the right position and set the machine. She will
place your breast on the mammography machine, and use a clear plastic
plate to keep it in place. This may be uncomfortable, but is generally
not painful. She will need to take a couple of different images,
one from above and one from the side and will move the machine to
get the pictures she needs. She may need to move you as well.
If you have any questions, you can ask the technologist.
She will be happy to answer them and to try and make you as comfortable
as possible.
How do I prepare for a mammogram?
You will need to give your doctor and the technologist
information about your medical history and any family members who
have had breast problems. You will be asked about past problems
with your breasts, surgeries you have had, if you have breast implants,
if you have had hormone therapy, or if you have been pregnant and
nursed a baby.
If possible, you should schedule your test for the
week after your period, and not just before or during your period,
since your breasts may be tender.
The day of the test, don't put perfume, powder,
or deodorant on your underarms or breasts. You may want to bring
deodorant with you to put on after the test. You will be asked to
remove jewelry around your neck, so you may want to leave it at
home.
What is digital mammography and why is it important?
Digital mammography is done the same way as traditional
film mammograms, but the image goes directly to a computer, instead
of on film. A recent study in the New England Journal of Medicine
showed that a digital mammogram was better for finding breast cancer
in women younger than 50, women with dense breasts, and women who
were pre-menopausal or peri-menopausal.
While only about 19% of breast imaging centers in
the United States offer digital mammograms, all 3 campuses of Cambridge
Health Alliance are proud to offer this state-of-the-art equipment!
How do I make an appointment?
You, or your doctor's office, can make an appointment
by calling our central scheduling office:
Central Scheduling: 617-665-1298
To schedule an appointment, you must have a referral
order from a primary care physician.
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Referral information for physicians
You can make a referral for your patients by calling:
Central Scheduling: 617-665-1298
Important note:
If you have had mammograms at an institution
outside of Cambridge Health Alliance, you should try to arrange
to bring those films with you at the time of your appointment. Comparison
to prior studies is extremely helpful in allowing the radiologist
to detect any changes in your mammogram.
What happens if something is found on my mammogram?
You will receive a letter within 30 days if the
mammogram is normal. If the doctor sees something they want to look
at further, you will be called within 5 days. The doctor may order
a breast ultrasound and, if needed, a biopsy.
A breast ultrasound uses sound waves to make an
image of an area of the breast. If you need to have one, it simply
means the doctor wants to look at something further. If needed,
a biopsy is used to get tissue or fluid for closer examination.
In a stereotactic biopsy, which is offered within Breast Imaging
in Radiology, x-rays are used to carefully guide a needle to the
site.
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