What You Can Expect When Getting a Screening Mammogram at Mercy Health

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early, and studies show that finding breast cancer early saves lives.

Approximately 20% of women diagnosed with breast cancer are under the age of 50. Unfortunately, younger women can also develop more aggressive breast cancers, which is why early detection is so important.

Mercy Health’s Annamarie Gibbons, RT(R)(M), radiology team leader at Mercy Health’s Southwest Campus, recommends these important steps to help detect breast cancer early:

• Regular monthly breast checks through self-exam
• Annual breast checks with a primary care provider
• Annual mammograms, based on age and family history

Here are 10 common questions patients ask regarding screening mammograms.

1. At what age should a woman begin getting screening mammograms? A woman should begin getting a screening mammogram¹ at age 40. If she has an increased risk, such as a family history of breast cancer, then she may require earlier screening.
2. How often should a woman get a screening mammogram? The American College of Radiology recommends a screening every year.
3. Will my medical insurance pay for my screening mammogram? Yes, screening mammograms are covered by medical insurance.
4. I’m anxious/worried about getting a mammogram. Is that normal? Being anxious or worried is normal, especially if it is your first time for this screening or if there is a reason to be concerned about the result of the test. If you are nervous, let your technologist know about your concerns.
5. What will happen after I sign in for my appointment?

• A registration specialist will call you to the desk to gather your personal/insurance information and provide you with a questionnaire if you did not receive one in the mail.
• You will be called back to the changing area by your technologist.
• Your technologist will reconfirm your name and date of birth, and give you a gown to change into.
• You will enter the mammogram room where the technologist will go over the result of your MammoPlus² risk assessment, explain your procedure and answer any questions you may have. Mercy Health is the only provider in the region that can let a patient know her lifetime risk for developing breast cancer as part of its mammography services.
• Your imaging will begin. During imaging, your breasts will be placed between the detector and a clear plastic paddle specifically designed for compression.
• After all images have been obtained, your technologist will remind you that the images will be read by the radiologist, a report will go to your doctor, and that a letter will come in the mail to you. Your results may be placed by your patient portal by your primary care physician several days later.
• You will then return to the changing area, change into your clothing, and be on your way.

6. Will the technologist do anything different if I have a history of breast cancer in my family? Not for screening mammogram. However, you may be referred to our high risk program for a custom-screening plan, which may include 3D mammography³, MRI surveillance or possible genetic counseling.
7. Will it hurt? Some patients find this screening to be uncomfortable, but you should not expect to be in excruciating pain. If you are experiencing pain, you need to let your technologist know. The better the communication between the two of you, the better the exam will go.
8. How long will my appointment take? Plan on 20–30 minutes, in most circumstances.
9. When will I know my results? Who will notify me? If the results of your mammogram are normal, you will receive a letter in the mail in about a week’s time. If there is a concern, one of our nurses from the Comprehensive Breast Center will call you (a call back⁴) either the same or the next day to schedule you for follow-up testing, which may include additional X-rays, ultrasounds of your breast(s) or even a biopsy.
10. Can men develop breast cancer? Yes, men can develop breast cancer, although it is rare. Less than one percent of all breast cancers occur in men, according to breastcancer.org.

¹Screening Mammogram: This is an X-ray of breasts without symptoms.

²MammoPlus: In addition to receiving digital mammogram results, all Mercy Health screening mammography patients receive an individualized risk assessment based on personal and family history at no additional cost.

³Both 2D and 3D Mammography are used for screening patients. 3D Mammography, also referred to as tomosynthesis, is an imaging procedure that uses low-energy X-rays to take thin-slice images of the breast at multiple angles. Those images are then “reconstructed” by a computer to form a 3-dimensional image of your breasts. This type of mammography is especially effective for patients with dense breasts. No referral is needed. 3D Mammography is available at Mercy Health’s Hackley Campus, Saint Mary’s Campus, Southwest Campus, and East Beltline and Lakes Village locations.

⁴Call Back: This is a situation where the patient is notified that further examination is required based on the radiologist’s interpretation of the original breast images.

Glossary of Additional Medical Terms

• Dense Breasts: Women with dense breasts have more dense tissue than fatty tissue, as revealed by a mammogram. This is important because dense breasts can make it more difficult for mammograms to detect breast cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, dense breasts are six times more likely to develop cancer.
• Diagnostic Mammogram: This is the taking images of symptomatic breasts, including those with a lump, discharge or pain. You will be asked to stay while the images are read so that any additional imaging can be completed. In most cases, you will have to come back if a biopsy is warranted.

For more information about mammography and other forms of breast imaging, along with contact information for Mercy Health mammography locations listed above, please click here.