Step-by-step guide to Screening mammograms at GRACE
From the waiting room, you will be shown to a spacious private changing room. If you are wearing any deodorants, powders or lotions, we will provide cleansing wipes as sometimes these products can show up on the mammogram pictures.
You’ll have to undress above the waist to get a mammogram. GRACE will give you a comfortable wrap to wear during the exam to maintain your privacy throughout your visit.
Your technologist will bring you from your changing room into the mammography room. Typically you and the technologist will be the only ones in the room during the mammogram. If you think you may need extra help during the exam it can be helpful for our technologist to know that in advance. If you have noticed breast changes or areas of concern, please let your technologist know before the exam starts. At GRACE we aim to make your experience as reassuring as possible. Just as our radiologists are breast imaging experts, our technologists are also experienced breast health professionals and they will walk you through every step of the procedure.
You will be asked to answer questions about your personal and family health. This information will be used to determine your risk of breast cancer, both for a lifetime and over the next 5-10 years. Knowing your breast cancer risk allows the breast radiologist to give you the most accurate and personalized recommendations.
To get a high-quality picture, your breast must be flattened or compressed with gentle pressure. This both holds the tissue still so there is no blurring from movement and it spreads out the breast tissue so it is best seen. In order to compress the tissue, you will stand in front of the machine, and the technologist will place your breast on the flat surface of the machine that records the picture. The plastic upper paddle of the machine is then lowered from above to compress your breast for about 10 to 15 seconds while the technologist takes an x-ray. At GRACE we use SmartCurve, a compression system shaped like the breast which has been clinically proven to reduce discomfort. This ensures the most comfortable and accurate imaging. The same steps will then be taken with the breast compressed from side to side for the next x-ray. The technologist will make sure that the breast is placed on the machine in the correct way so the radiologist can see all of the tissue.
At GRACE, you will always receive a 3D mammogram (also known as digital breast tomosynthesis or DBT), as this improves cancer detection and lowers the chance that you might have to return for extra pictures later. If you have only had 2D mammograms before, the steps will be the same but you'll notice that the machine will move in a small arc, either over the top of your breast or along the side of your breast, for each image. You might be asked to hold your breath each time it's being done.
While the whole appointment takes about 10-15 minutes, the actual breast compression only lasts about 10 to 15 seconds for each image.
While many woman feel only gently pressure during the exam, some might feel light discomfort with compression and for some women it can be painful. Tell the technologist if compression is causing discomfort so they can try to adjust the compression to your comfort. If you have a history of tenderness with compression, check out our tips on how you can “ease the squeeze” (link).
Two pictures or views of each breast are taken for a screening mammogram. But for some women, such as those with breast implants or larger breasts, more pictures may be needed to include all tissues.
After your exam you will return to your changing room. We provide deodorant and other supplies so you leave GRACE refreshed and ready for the rest of your day. If you want to feel even more refreshed following your mammogram, consider bundling your imaging exam with a spa service at time of scheduling.
Your mammogram pictures will be evaluated by an experienced, fellowship-trained breast radiology expert within 1-2 days and your results will be mailed to your home address. About 10% of the time, the information available on the standard pictures taken for a screening mammogram is not clear or definitive. This may be as simple as overlapping normal tissue, but extra pictures may be needed to be sure. If this is your first or baseline mammogram, your chances of needing extra pictures are higher since we do not yet know what is normal for you. In the event more imaging is needed to complete the screening exam, GRACE will contact you to arrange for additional studies such as a diagnostic mammogram or possibly a breast ultrasound. Most of the time the extra pictures will resolve the area of concern, but sometimes a biopsy may be needed to reach a final result. The experts at GRACE will be your partner through the entire process to ensure you have complete and accurate results.
If you have older breast imaging at other healthcare facilities, it is quick and easy to have copies of those studies transferred to GRACE so our team of breast experts can compare them to your most recent images and look for any changes. Just let us know where to look for your prior exams and we will take care of the rest!
You can choose a better mammogram experience, choose GRACE. Schedule your appointment online (link).