October 17, 2019

Mammograms Can Lead to Early Detection

Family Medicine
General Health
Primary Care

Mammograms are an important breast cancer screening tool for women. The National Breast Cancer Foundation estimates over 200,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer each year. One in eight women either currently has or will develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and eight out of nine women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. As breast cancer risk increases with age, mammograms are among the best early detection methods, and early detection is critical. If detected early, the five-year survival rate for breast cancer exceeds 96 percent.

At Fort HealthCare, we use the best available imaging and 3D imaging technology – which helps detect subtle breast tissue changes – ultimately enhancing our ability to detect breast cancer early. We partner with the UW-Health Radiology department for reading and interpretive services. This means that you get the same care and service that you would find at a larger facility, but close to home.

mammogram-imagesAnd if you should need more comprehensive care beyond your screening, we’re here to take care of you. Fort Memorial Hospital is a Pink Ribbon facility, recognized as providing excellence in breast health paired with exceptional commitment and support to the women of our community. When something is found during these routine screenings, it can be a confusing and scary time. To help ease stress, provide knowledgeable guidance, support, and education to women in all stages of breast care, we have our Healing Breast Care Center.

Featuring Genius™ 3D MAMMOGRAM™ imaging technology

Digital technology called tomosynthesis provides medical professionals with the opportunity to review a 3-dimensional picture of the breast using X-rays. This is different from a standard mammogram where two X-rays of each breast are taken from different angles: top to bottom and side to side. The breast is gently compressed and held between two glass plates to ensure that the whole breast is viewed. Digital mammography records the images on a computer, which are then read by a radiologist.

Genius™ exams deliver a series of detailed breast images, allowing your medical team to better evaluate your breast tissue layer by layer, allowing images to be read with much greater accuracy. Greater accuracy means better breast cancer detection. Only the Genius™ 3D MAMMOGRAM™ is proven to detect breast cancer 15 months earlier.

The National Cancer Institute and U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recommend that women in their forties and older have mammograms every one to two years, unless there is a family history or medical reason to do so earlier or more often. A complete early detection plan also includes regular clinical breast examinations by a trained medical professional, such as a primary care provider or an obstetrician/gynecologist. In addition, monthly breast self-exams are strongly suggested.

You can schedule your mammogram at Fort HealthCare on weekdays, when it is convenient for you, including evenings until 6:00 p.m. Simply call (920) 568-5420. Don’t wait another minute.