Where you have your mammogram, and who reads it, matter

Conditions
May 15, 2012

I’ve received several inquiries from women living in various regions of the country, asking how they should choose where to go for their mammogram, and if it really matters.  I cannot emphasize this enough:  It matters!  Here are a few tips to help your search:

The most basic requirement is whether a facility is accredited under the MQSA (Mammography Quality Standards Act).  The accrediting body for most states is the ACR …

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Where you have your mammogram, and who reads it, matter

A radiologist disagrees with the breast cancer screening guidelines

Conditions
March 14, 2012

As a veteran of World War II, my grandfather was a GI Bill success story, the first man to go to college from his impoverished neighborhood in Jersey City thanks to government at its finest.   A card-carrying member of the state teachers’ union, and a politically active Democrat for most of his life, it came as something of a shock to me when, after a few decades of observing big …

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A radiologist disagrees with the breast cancer screening guidelines

Why mammography is an imperfect test

Conditions
January 15, 2012

It is a scenario familiar to all breast imaging practices.

A patient feels a lump in her breast and calls her doctor.  The doctor examines her, agrees that a lump is present, and refers the patient to a breast imaging facility for a diagnostic mammogram and breast ultrasound (also known as a sonogram).  At her mammogram appointment, a little sticker is placed on the lump felt by the patient, and mammogram …

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Why mammography is an imperfect test

Practical tips for a more comfortable mammogram

Patient
October 6, 2011

By now you’ve probably seen the internet jokes that compare the mammogram experience to having your breast squashed in a refrigerator door.  A few years back, I joined the club of women who have our annual mammograms, and I can’t say that I disagree with the imagery of the jokes.  However, the benefits of early detection far outweigh the discomfort, so I’m willing to put up with it.

I’d like to …

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Practical tips for a more comfortable mammogram