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Mammography is performed to screen healthy women for signs of breast cancer. It is also used to follow-up on findings from screening or to evaluate a woman who has symptoms of breast disease. Mammograms are the best way to find breast cancer early. A mammogram is the best test for breast cancer.

Mammography can detect cancers before you can feel them with your fingers

Annual screening mammograms, beginning at age 40, reduce death from breast cancer

While mammograms successfully find most breast cancers, like all medical tests, mammography is not perfect. A mammogram may show abnormalities that are not breast cancer, or not show an abnormality that is breast cancer. Sometimes the doctor will use ultrasound or MRI to further examine an abnormality and evaluate the next best step. Sometimes a woman may find an abnormality not found on her mammogram. If you find anything unusual, call your doctor right away. Don’t wait. Make sure to tell your doctor if there is a family history of breast cancer. However, every woman is at risk for breast cancer. When detected early, breast cancer can be treated successfully.

From Age 20 On

Have a clinical breast exam by a doctor or nurse at least every 3 years. Learn how to examine your breasts and call your doctor if you find anything unusual.

At Age 40

Have a clinical breast exam and mammogram every year. Examine your breasts and call your doctor if you find anything unusual.

Remember – Bring your previous mammograms with you if you are changing to one of our mammogram facilities.

In cases where a biopsy is recommended, Athens-Limestone Hospital has several options to offer you. Athens-Limestone is proud to offer stereotactic biopsy, mammotome and core needle biopsies. Stereotactic is a less invasive procedure to sample calcifications that may be seen on a mammogram. This procedure does not require sedation. The patient lies on the exam table on their stomach and the breast is placed in an x-ray machine that locates the calcification and the radiologist administers lidocaine and inserts a needle in the exact spot the calcification is located. Then another x-ray is made of the area to be sure the calcification is removed. Mammotome is a procedure used under ultrasound where abnormal looking tissue is removed with a small tube under local anesthesia. This is a simple and fast method to remove tissue to be sampled with a vacuum. Core needle biopsies are also minimally invasive procedures under ultrasound where a small sampling of abnormal tissue is removed with a needle. These calcification samples and abnormal tissues are then sent to the lab to determine if they are benign(not cancerous) or malignant.