If you kept abreast of screening recommendations, you may already know that women should start getting an annual mammogram when they blow out 40 candles. But did you realize that 60 percent of American women who should be getting mammograms aren’t? The lapse may be for a variety of reasons—schedule, cost, anxiety—but, just like cake, there’s always room for a mammogram. A mere 15 minutes could mean the difference between catching breast cancer at stage 0 (yep, that’s a thing) and chemotherapy. The icing? Most health insurance plans cover the screening at no cost to patients.
“Mammography is the gold standard of breast cancer screening,” says Becky Steele, Roper St. Francis Healthcare’s Imaging Manager of Mammography. Thanks to the latest 3D technology, “ we find calcifications every day before they’ve even developed into tumors. If you wait until you can feel a lump, that tumor may already measure two centimeters,” explains Steele, who previously worked as a Certified Breast Health Navigator. Learn more about our team of clinical nurse navigators.
To eliminate any surprises about the exam, here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what to expect from the mammogram procedure.
Step 1: Schedule
Whether you treat yourself to a birthday mammo, create a calendar reminder or rely on a doctor’s prompt, get a mammogram every year, beginning at age 40—unless you have a parent or sibling with a history of breast cancer, in which case, you should begin 10 years sooner than that relative’s age at diagnosis. Steele recommends scheduling the screening between days seven and 14 of your menstrual cycle (so, a week after you start your period). “That’s when your breasts are the least sensitive, because you haven’t ovulated yet.”
Step 2: Advance to-dos
Changed healthcare systems since your last mammogram? Request to have your previous films sent to the new system at least two weeks before your appointment. “This allows the radiologist to read your results as soon as your mammogram is complete, rather than waiting 10 days while your films are sent over,” explains Steele.
If, like many Roper St. Francis Healthcare patients, you use MyChart, fill out the medical history form online, which saves time at your appointment and allows you to document accurate information.
Step 3: Day-of prep
Dress in comfortable clothing, preferably separates, as you’ll disrobe from the waist up. Don’t apply deodorant, lotion, or powder to your underarms or chest. “These products can mimic calcifications on mammogram images,” explains Steele.
If you didn’t complete a health history online, arrive knowing pertinent medical information, including the date of your last menstrual cycle, how many pregnancies and deliveries you’ve had, if you’ve had a hysterectomy, the type and dosage of any hormones you’re taking and an updated family medical history.
Step 4: The exam
In a dressing room, you’ll put on a cape open to the front, then the tech will bring you to the imaging room. (Forgot to skip deodorant? There’ll be baby wipes on hand.) “If you’re anxious, tell the tech,” Steele says. “She’ll walk you through it.”
The tech will position the breast on the imaging machine between two compression plates, pulling you in to be sure the image captures all the breast tissue including the pectoral muscle at the back of the chest. “That’s the tugging and pulling you hear about.” A mammogram takes four pictures—each breast from the front and side. The tech will check that the images are of good quality but won’t read them for abnormalities.
Step 5: Follow-up
Within 24 to 48 hours, a radiologist checks the images for calcifications, masses and displaced tissue (called asymmetry). “When you get mammograms annually, the doctor can compare pictures from year to year to ensure nothing’s changed,” says Steele. If everything looks normal and you’re on MyChart, results automatically upload. If the report isn’t viewed online, the results get mailed to you.
If the radiologist sees something suspicious or wants more pictures, a Breast Care Coordinator will call to schedule a follow-up mammogram or ultrasound (often used for women with dense breast tissue). “If this is your first mammogram, the radiologist doesn’t have anything to compare it to, so there’s a higher risk of being called back. That doesn’t necessarily mean there’s anything wrong,” assures Steele.
So listen up, ladies. If you’re eligible to receive a mammogram, give yourself this gift of protection. Roper St. Francis Healthcare operates five mammography sites across Charleston County, with another two coming soon to Berkeley County. To schedule your yearly mammogram, call (843) 402-5000.