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BREAST
IMAGING/ MAMMOGRAPHY
Call
617-665-1298 today.
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Newsflash!
>
Are you due for your annual mammogram? We now have
same day appointments in Digital Mammography 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:
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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.
________________________________
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 through the Cambridge
Breast Center, x-rays are used to carefully guide a needle to
the site.
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