At age 40, women should start screening for breast cancer with an annual mammogram. If you are at a higher risk for developing breast cancer due to your family history, your provider may recommend starting screenings earlier. That's why it's important to talk about your risk status with your provider or a breast health specialist.
Trust Avera for the accuracy, comfort and peace of mind you want when you come in for a mammography appointment. Your mammogram will take place in a private, comfortable room where a skilled mammography technologist with advanced certification will accompany you at each step of the process.
Breast Imaging Services
Breast imaging is important for both prevention and early detection of cancer. A screening mammogram is a test that uses X-rays to create images of the breast tissue and detects what could be early signs of cancer that can be too small to detect on your own.
Imaging recommendations for high-risk patients, such as diagnostic mammograms, breast MRI or contrast-enhanced mammography (CEM), are personalized based on the patient’s risk score, family history and personal factors. Many high-risk patients get imaging every six months based on guidelines set by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network.
3D Mammograms
With 3D technology, the machine moves around the breast in an arc to create snapshots of the breast tissue in thin layers. These images offer benefits such as:
- Earlier detection of small breast cancers that may not be felt on self-exams
- Clearer images of dense breast tissue
- Greater accuracy in pinpointing size and location
Contrast-Enhanced Mammography (CEM)
If the results from your recent mammogram were inconclusive due to dense breast tissue, count on contrast-enhanced mammography to serve as a secondary tool in determining the presence or absence of breast cancer.
CEM works by using contrast uptake to highlight areas of abnormal blood flow or lesions within the breast. With these enhanced images, physicians can quickly see and diagnose an area of concern or relieve anxiety when there are negative findings.
Breast Ultrasound & Biopsy
Should your mammogram results show a questionable area, ultrasound imaging may offer an additional diagnostic tool. Based on the ultrasound examination, your radiologist may recommend an ultrasound-guided biopsy, stereotactic biopsy, CEM biopsy or MRI biopsy.
Breast MRI
In addition to mammography, your physician may recommend a breast MRI. This non-invasive imaging test uses strong magnets and radio waves to create detailed pictures of the inside of your breast.
Mammography Computer Aided Detection (CAD)
With computer-aided detection technology at Avera, a second set of “eyes” analyzes your mammography images. When used in conjunction with mammography, CAD helps identify areas of concern, so physicians can more easily detect cancer at its earliest stages.
