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Kim Sink: I quickly scheduled my screening mammogram after my 40th birthday.
Mammography is the most used screening tool for the detection of breast cancer. As a member of the health community, I know the importance of mammograms. So I quickly scheduled my screening mammogram after my 40th birthday.
On the occasion of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, I texted friends who were celebrating their 40th birthday in 2018. I was surprised that no one was there. among them does not plan to plan their screening mammograms.
As I began to ask why I found they had received conflicting information about when the screening mammogram should begin and that they did not discuss with their health care provider. The American College of Radiology recommends conducting a screening mammogram every year starting at age 40 and earlier if a close family member has been diagnosed with breast cancer. Women should discuss family history and ask questions about mammography screening – we are our best advocates for health care.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention predict that breast cancer is one of the most prevalent cancers in American women and that a regular mammogram can reduce the risk of breast cancer deaths.
In the United States, more than 240,000 women are diagnosed with breast cancer and more than 40,000 die each year. Men also have breast cancer, but they account for less than 1% of all cases.
The CDC warns that most women with breast cancer have no known risk factors or history of the disease in their families.
Although breast cancer screening can not prevent breast cancer, it can help detect breast cancer in its early stages, when it is easier to treat and gives better results.
In order to facilitate getting a mammogram, the New Hanover Regional Medical Center does not require that women aged 40 or older get a prescription from their doctor to schedule a screening mammogram. However, you must have a primary care provider or OB / GYN to receive your results.
The day of your appointment, a mammogram will review your family history and the health of your breasts.
A certified mammography technologist will explain the exam and will perform it in a private mammography suite.
The X-rays of your breasts will be taken from several angles. Compression is used to improve image quality and lasts for five to seven seconds.
The whole process takes about 10 minutes.
A board-certified radiologist reviews and analyzes the images and compares them to your previous mammograms. You will receive your results by mail as well as by your supplier.
The NHR ™ offers 3D mammography in five convenient locations, late-night appointments and Saturday.
3D mammography is similar to conventional mammography, but it has been proven that it is more accurate. A 3D mammogram captures multiple images or sections of the chest from multiple angles, creating a multi-layer image. The radiologist can then examine the breast tissue in thinner layers, allowing a more accurate diagnosis. This helps reduce anxiety and false positives when detecting more invasive breast cancers. This is an improved exam for women who have high breast density.
Kim Sink works with the health and diagnostic center of the New Hanover Regional Medical Center.
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