Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Medina - (Page 3)

Mammogram Q&A Q Q What’s involved in breast cancer screening? There are three parts: a monthly breast self-exam, a clinical breast exam by a physician and a yearly mammogram. When should I start breast cancer screenings? You may have seen different guidelines about when a woman should start breast cancer screenings. Several leading physicians and groups, including the American Cancer Society and Cleveland Clinic, maintain that women should begin performing monthly breast self-exams by age 20. These should be performed around the same time every month and seven to 10 days after your menstrual cycle ends. Women between the ages of 20 and 39 should have a breast exam performed by a physician at least once every three years and each year after the age of 40. Women age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year. However, certain risk factors, such as family history, may mean you have to start your screening earlier. Always check with your physician to find out what is right for you. What is a mammogram? A mammogram is an X-ray image of the breast used to detect tumors or other abnormalities. It is used as a cancer screening tool for the early detection of breast cancer. What is a digital mammogram? One of the most recent advances in mammography, digital (computerized) mammograms create highresolution images that are exceptionally clear and detailed. The differences are in the way the picture is made, looked at and stored. Regular mammograms are printed on X-ray films. Digital mammograms are recorded and saved as files in a computer, similar to the way digital cameras take and store pictures. medinahospital.org Immediately after the exam, the doctor can look at the pictures on a computer screen and adjust the size, brightness or contrast to see certain areas of the breast more clearly. This allows the radiologist to identify and diagnose extremely small masses or lumps. If a breast specialist needs to look at the pictures, they can be emailed rather than sent as a hard copy. Should I always request a digital mammogram? For the most part, regular and digital mammograms have similar accuracy. However, some studies have shown digital mammograms to be more accurate at finding cancer for some women under age 50 or women with dense breast tissue. In addition, women who have questionable areas on their mammograms have to return less often for extra imaging tests because digital mammograms allow the image to be magnified and looked at in different ways. It is important to remember that even if digital mammography is not available, women should still get a regular mammogram. Q Seema Misbah, MD Q Q Dr. Misbah is a Cleveland Clinic medical oncologist specializing in breast cancer. (call) SCHEDULE YOUR MAMMOGRAM TODAY Medina Hospital offers digital mammograms. To schedule your appointment, obtain a referral from your physician and call 330.721.5350. HEALTH ESSENTIALS 3 http://www.medinahospital.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Medina

Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Medina
Contents
A message from the president
A Cleveland Clinic expert answers your mammogram questions
Doing it her way
Getting back in the saddle after knee surgery

Health Essentials - Winter 2012 - Medina

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