Imaging Center For Women

Services Offered:

Why is it Important to Get a Mammogram every year?

Breast cancer is a serious threat to women’s health, as one in eight women will eventually develop it. Of all cancers, breast cancer is the most common in women.

Battling cancer is a long, hard road. Advances in medical technology have increased patients’ chances of survival, but one of the most important factors influencing recovery is the stage at which cancer is detected and diagnosed.

Why is it Important to Use a 3D Mammography Machine?

Multiple Images: Rather than using the stationary mammography machines that were standard in the past, The Baton Rouge Clinic utilizes two Genius 3D Mammography machines. Rather than taking just one image of breast tissue, the X-ray arm moves to take a series of images from different angles. This allows physicians to look at layers of tissue and have a complete understanding of any potential issues.

Safer: One of the benefits of using Genius 3D Mammography machines over non-3D models is patient safety. X-rays emit a small amount of radiation, which can be harmful to organs. Generally, the amount of radiation exposure produced by X-rays is negligible, and the scan’s benefits outweigh the risks. However, it’s in patients’ best interests to minimize exposure, and Genius 3D Mammography machines emit less exposure than previous equipment.

Increased Accuracy: With their comprehensive imaging, Genius 3D Mammography machines are more accurate than standard mammogram devices. The layered images allow radiologists to see masses that may have been hidden behind denser tissue, which lets them catch cancer during its earliest stages.

Our Imaging Center for Women has two Genius 3D Mammography machines.

What are the five benefits of 3D Mammography?

1.  More accurate detection: By minimizing the impact of overlapping breast tissue, 3D mammography can make a tumor easier to see. Reviewing multiple images can potentially help doctors find more cancers than with 2D images alone.
2.  Earlier diagnosis: Overlapping tissue can hide small cancers in a 2D scan. However, with 3D mammography, the image “slices” can be analyzed one by one. This means 3D mammography may potentially help detect cancers earlier than conventional mammography.
3.  Better detection in dense breast tissue: Dense breast tissue, often found in younger women, can cause shadows due to overlapping tissue, which sometimes hides tumors from traditional 2D mammography. 3D mammography takes images of the breast from multiple angles, thereby offering a cutting-edge look through and around breast tissue.
4. Less Anxiety: 3D mammography can help reduce false alarms. The improved accuracy in diagnosing abnormal structures offered by a 3D view of the breast decreases the number of unnecessary callbacks to women for additional scans and biopsies.
5. Safe and Effective: During a 3D mammogram, women will experience a negligible amount of additional radiation, compared with a standard mammogram.

What to Expect During Your Mammogram

Mammogram appointments usually take about 20 to 30 minutes. Our technologist will be with you during every step and are prepared to answer all of your questions. On the day of your appointment, a few easy tips can make your appointment go smoothly:

• • • Avoid wearing lotion, powder, deodorant or perfume. If you are wearing deodorant, we have wipes available to remove it, as these products can cause spots on the X-ray.
    • We recommend you wear a two piece outfit, not a dress, as you will have to wear a gown and undress from the waist up.

While compression during mammogram screenings is not always comfortable, it is extremely important. Compression usually lasts only 10 seconds, and serves to separate the tissues within the breast to optimize image quality. If you have any questions or concerns during the screening mammogram procedure, our office team members, mammogram technologists and radiologists are happy to address them.

The Baton Rouge Clinic is home to one of the region’s fellowship-trained breast cancer surgeons: Everett J. Bonner, Jr., MD, FACS, FSSO

For more information on our services, or to schedule an appointment, please call (225) 246-9729.