Screening and Diagnostic Services

Our team of physicians work with patients to assess their risks for cancer through cancer-related checkups, conduct screenings, and tests to detect cancer before it causes symptoms.

We use the latest diagnostic imaging technology to diagnose patients and determine the best plan of care. We continue to educate other physicians and the community about screening and recommendations.

Our screening and diagnostic services include:

• Bone density screenings (DEXA screening)
• Breast imaging (mammograms and ultrasounds)
• Computed tomography (CT scan)
• Lymphedema screenings
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Positron emission tomography - computed tomography scans (PET/CT)
• Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test
• Stereotactic and ultrasound-guided biopsies

The Breast Center offers digital mammography units screening and diagnostic mammography. Other services offered include breast ultrasound, cyst aspiration and stereotactic biopsy. The Center's electronic arching system makes radiology images immediately available to physicians throughout the hospital and in the physicians' offices.

Digital Mammography

The key to finding – and fighting – breast cancer is early detection. One of your best defenses in early detection of breast cancer is a mammogram, and here at the Breast Center, we offer one of the most advanced imaging technologies available to screen for breast cancer: Digital Mammography.

What does digital mammography mean to you? It means:

• Improved imaging - with digital mammography, the magnification, orientation, brightness, and contrast of the image helps the radiologist clearly see certain areas.
• Less patient exposure to radiation - the radiation dose can be reduced by up to 50% with digital mammography and still detect breast cancer as well as the standard radiation dose of film mammography.
• Reduced exam time - digital spot view mammography allows faster and more accurate stereotactic biopsy. This results in shorter examination times and significantly improved patient comfort and convenience since the time the patient must remain still is much shorter.
• A built-in "second opinion" - digital mammography is used in conjunction with a computer aided detection system – often referred to as a second opinion – that identifies potential concerns even before the radiologist views the results.

Digital mammography is particularly beneficial for women with dense or thick breasts, women under age 50, and pre- and peri-menopausal women.

Why mammogram screenings are important:

• 80% of all women diagnosed with breast cancer have no history of it in their family and your risk increases with age.
• Two-thirds of newly diagnosed breast cancers show no signs that the cancer has spread beyond the breast, and most women diagnosed with early stage breast cancer are candidates for treatment that saves the breast.
• Research has shown that breast cancer deaths for African American women was 68% higher than non-African Americans and were shown to have more aggressive tumors. Learn more about this research by clicking here.