Do you know who is reading your mammogram? You should; Not all radiologists are the same when it comes to your breast health
Medical doctors, with a special focus. A radiologist is a medical doctor who has completed an extra 5 years of training after medical school to learn how to “read” imaging or exams of human body parts. Radiologists are board certified in medical physics and in clinical knowledge of how diseases appear on imaging. The radiologist is (usually) not the person you meet during your appointment who takes the pictures; a technologist does that and is a highly skilled healthcare team member trained take the needed pictures. Many times, especially if you have a normal screening mammogram, you will not meet the radiologist who looks at the images taken by the technologist, but the radiologist is a crucial member of your healthcare team. A lot goes into being able to read or interpret medical imaging exams. First, the doctor must know what a “normal” or typical appearance is for the body part being imaged on the type of exam being done. For breast imaging, that is a difficult task since every mammogram is unique! The doctor must also know about the various ways all of the different breast processes and diseases, including breast cancer, can start to show up on the imaging exams. This can also be difficult in breast tissue as there can be overlap in appearance of cancerous and noncancerous findings. Even a millimeter or two change on a mammogram, ultrasound, or MRI exam can signify an important change in breast tissue.
Solving the puzzle. When a change is found on your imaging a breast radiologist will pick the best additional tests to determine what might be causing the change on the image. This can mean special mammogram pictures, an ultrasound exam, or even a breast MRI. The more familiar your radiologist is with the tools of breast imaging, the better she will be able to evaluate the change. Breast radiologists are also trained to perform image-guided biopsies to help diagnosis breast diseases. Fellowship trained breast radiologists have additional expertise in the work up and staging of breast cancers. In order for a breast cancer treatment plan to be most effective, it must treat every area of cancer. It is the job of the breast radiologist to make sure the breast care team has an accurate map of every area involved in the cancer. Breast radiologists are a crucial component of your breast healthcare team and are essential to ensuring breast cancer treatment success.
Expert care, every time, guaranteed. 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. No other imaging facility in central Iowa can guarantee that every breast imaging exam will be read by a breast fellowship trained radiologist. Having a fellowship-trained breast specialist directing your care means that cancers will be detected at earlier more treatable stages and unnecessary workups for non-cancerous findings will be minimized. The GRACE radiologists are both experienced, fellowship-trained breast imagers; They are passionate about providing consistent breast care of the highest quality for all.
Not all “specialists” have specialized training. Radiologists who have fellowship credentials in breast imaging receive five times the amount of training in the evaluation of breast tissue and breast diseases as radiologists who do not have fellowship training. However, any healthcare provider who has MQSA certification, which is required by federal law to read a mammogram in the United States, may claim to be a breast “specialist” so buyer beware. Most radiologists claiming to be breast specialists are not fellowship trained in breast imaging! The bar for MQSA certification requires reading only 240 mammograms during training to initially certify and afterwards reading only 480 mammograms per year to maintain certification. The requirements for mammography certification in the United States are much lower than elsewhere in the world; For example, in Europe radiologists are recommended to read at least 5000 mammograms yearly. Fun fact- the radiologists at GRACE have each interpreted over 100,000 mammograms, and counting. Fellowship trained breast imagers not only read thousands of mammograms every month, far exceeding the minimum requirement for certification, but also have additional training and expertise in the staging and workup of breast cancer that general radiologists do not. The combined experience and expertise you receive from a care provided by a fellowship trained breast imager results in more accurate readings. At GRACE breast imaging you will always have a breast health expert on your team.
Exceptionally experienced. Beyond their extensive specialty training, GRACE radiologists have a combined 30+ years of experience in medical imaging in a variety of practice settings, an extensive history of leadership roles both locally as well as in state and national societies, and a history of community involvement championing women’s health equity causes which informs their practice of medicine and distinguishes them from others in the market. When millimeter-sized changes matter, experience and expertise are essential. You’ll be in good hands at GRACE.
