When the mammogram, ultrasound and/or MRI are inconclusive, what’s a radiologist to do? Phone a friend and enlist the help of a pathologist to get a look at the area of concern on a microscopic level! Here’s what to expect when a biopsy has been recommended.

Image by Mikael Häggström, M.D. CC0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=98632753

Breast MRI is a powerful tool for detecting and evaluating areas of concern in breast tissue that can help the radiologist get more information about the breast tissue. The technology uses strong magnets to make images of the breast tissue. Find out if breast MRI might be right for you.

There are two very important reasons your radiologist cares about breast density. First, dense breast tissue can mask or hide breast cancer. Since breast cancers often show up as ‘white’ on the mammogram, when you are looking for breast cancers on a mammogram with a lot of dense tissue it can be a little like looking for an arctic fox or polar bear in a blizzard! Very difficult. Second, dense breast tissue is an independent risk factor for breast cancer which means the denser your tissue, the higher your breast cancer risk!

You can choose a better mammogram experience, choose GRACE. Here is what to expect during your visit.

It can be alarming to feel a new lump in breast tissue. The first thing to do: don’t panic. At GRACE breast imaging we know how to evaluate breast lumps and will help you navigate this finding quickly and efficiently.

There are many things you can do to make getting a mammogram more serene.

It is common to feel like any amount of radiation is too much radiation, but we are all exposed to radiation every day just from living on earth. The good news is that the radiation dose received from a mammogram picture is very low. Also, the radiation given during a mammogram is very closely monitored and required to be below a certain threshold.

The first thing to know about a baseline mammogram is when you should plan to have one. GRACE Breast Imaging, along with the American College of Radiology recommends women with an average risk for breast cancer have a baseline screening mammogram at age 40, with screening mammograms obtained on a yearly basis afterwards. Up to 85% of women who are diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease so it is important to get your screening mammograms even if you do not have a family history of breast cancer. Your baseline mammogram may need to happen as early as age 30 if you have certain factors that increase the risk of breast cancer including family history of breast cancer or breast cancer associated gene mutations. Speak with your health care provider to assess your breast cancer risk and determine the best screening plan for you.

Since no one, not even your doctor, has a crystal ball for your health and life expectancy it can be hard to determine when you have reached a point where backing away from screening makes sense. The recommendation from the American College of Radiology is that yearly screening mammograms can be stopped when a woman is expected to live for only another 5-7 years.

At GRACE, we are proud to be the only imaging center in central Iowa able to promise that you will be cared for by a radiologist that is both board-certified and fellowship-trained (yes, even more training) in breast imaging during every exam.

Did you know that the American College of Radiology recommends that every woman has a breast cancer risk assessment by age 25?

Many people who are at increased risk of breast cancer do not know that they have an elevated risk because there are many different factors that combine to impact risk. In fact, you may be at high risk for breast cancer even if you do not have a history of breast cancer in your family!