How should I prepare?
Do not schedule your mammography for the week before your period if your breasts are usually tender during this time. The best time for a mammogram is one week following your period. Always inform your doctor or mammography technologist if there is any possibility you are pregnant.
The ACS also recommends you:
• Do not wear deodorant, talcum powder, or lotion under your arms or on your breasts on the day of your exam. These can appear on the mammogram as calcium deposits. If you wear any of these, you may be asked to wipe them off before your exam.
• Describe any breast symptoms or problems to the technologist performing the exam.
• If possible, it is important to obtain prior mammograms and make them available to the radiologist at the time of the current exam for comparison. If you are scheduled for a diagnostic mammogram, your exam may not be scheduled until prior images can be obtained and reviewed.
All results will be sent to the physician the day they are read. Patients will be called if there is an abnormal result on their mammogram.
How is the procedure performed?
Mammography is performed on an outpatient basis.
During mammography, a specially qualified Licensed and Registered Mammographer will position your breast in the mammography machine. Your breast will be placed on a special platform and compressed with a paddle (often made of clear Plexiglas or other plastic). The technologist will gradually compress your breast. Breast compression is necessary in order to:
• Even out the breast thickness so that all of the tissue can be visualized
• Spread out the tissue so that small abnormalities are less likely to be obscured by overlying breast tissue
• Allow the use of a lower x-ray dose since a thinner amount of breast tissue is being imaged
• Hold the breast still in order to minimize blurring of the image caused by motion
• Reduce x-ray scatter to increase sharpness of picture
Florida Hospital Heartland Breast Care Center and SeaScape Imaging facility use a special product called Bella Blankets to remove chill and add extra sanitary protection during your procedure.
The technologist will stand behind a glass shield during the x-ray exposure. You will be asked to change positions between images. The routine views are a top-to-bottom view and an oblique side view. The process will be repeated for the other breast. You must hold very still and may be asked to keep from breathing for a few seconds while the x-ray image is taken to reduce the possibility of a blurring.
The entire examination process should take under 30 minutes.
What does the equipment look like?
A mammography unit is a rectangular box that houses the tube in which x-rays are produced. The unit is used exclusively for x-ray exams of the breast, with special accessories that allow only the breast to be exposed to the x-rays. Attached to the unit is a device that holds and compresses the breast and positions it so images can be obtained at different angles.
What will I experience during and after the procedure?
You will feel pressure on your breast as it is squeezed by the compression paddle. Some women with sensitive breasts may experience discomfort. If this is the case, scheduled the procedure when your breasts are least tender. Be sure to inform the technologist if pain occurs as compression is applied. If discomfort is significant, less compression will be used.
If you are having a diagnostic mammogram, you may also need a breast ultrasound immediately following the mammogram. During an ultrasound, warm gel will be placed on your breast, and the registered ultrasound technologist will use a probe to view the tissue inside your breast. Ultrasound can sometimes show things that a mammogram will not, or confirm what is suspected by mammogram.
If you need any kind of follow-up testing, such as a biopsy, you will meet with our Certified Nurse Navigator, who will help guide you through the rest of your care.
Who interprets the results and how do I get them?
A radiologist (a physician specifically trained to supervise and interpret radiology examinations) will analyze the images and send a signed report to your primary care or referring physician, who will discuss the results with you.
You may get your results by calling 863-402-7575 during normal operating hours.
For a diagnostic mammogram, your results will be available immediately.
For a screening mammogram, your results will be available within 24-48 hours.
What if I have breast implants?
When you schedule your mammogram, the person scheduling the exam will ask you if you have breast implants. This is important because breast implants can hide some breast tissue, which could make it difficult for the radiologist to see breast cancer when looking at your mammograms. For this reason, to take a mammogram of a breast with an implant, the x-ray technologist will gently lift the breast tissue slightly away from the implant.
All technologists are highly trained to perform implant images.
What is a stereotactic biopsy?
A stereotactic breast biopsy is a test that uses a special computer to guide a needle to an abnormality seen on mammography. A large percentage of these abnormalities are benign and present no health risks. This biopsy is a non-invasive, accurate way to obtain the tissue sample required for diagnosis. The procedure requires little recovery time and there is no significant scarring to the breast.
How do I schedule a mammogram?
To schedule your screening or diagnostic mammogram at any Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center site, call 863-402-7575.
