{"id":1185,"date":"2018-12-27T02:05:14","date_gmt":"2018-12-26T18:05:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/?p=1185"},"modified":"2018-12-27T02:05:14","modified_gmt":"2018-12-26T18:05:14","slug":"put-your-health-first-in-2019-by-scheduling-a-mammogram-screening","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/?p=1185","title":{"rendered":"Put your Health First in 2019 by Scheduling a Mammogram Screening"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/salem-radiology-blog-image.png\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"blog-inline-image aligncenter wp-image-1192 size-full\" src=\"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/12\/salem-radiology-blog-image.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"750\" height=\"500\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Have you been putting off your mammogram?\u00a0Many women delay having this important screening because it seems like a hassle, or they\u2019re\u00a0anxious\u00a0about the procedure, or they just don\u2019t seem to be able to fit it into their schedules. If\u00a0this sounds like you, it\u2019s time to prioritize your breast health. Make 2019 the year that you put your health first and go ahead and schedule that mammogram.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>What is a mammogram?<\/b>\u00a0A mammogram is a low-dose x-ray examination\u00a0that can detect breast cancer\u00a0s and ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS),\u00a0an early form of breast cancer. In a mammogram, the breast is compressed\u00a0so that the radiologist can get a\u00a0high-quality\u00a0image of the breast tissue.<\/li>\n<li><b>Why is a mammogram important?<\/b>\u00a0Early detection is the best way to beat breast cancer, and a mammogram can find breast cancer far earlier than you or your doctor will be able to\u00a0feel\u00a0it.\u00a0While other types of breast exams, like\u00a0self-exams, ultrasounds, and MRIs are also useful in detecting cancer,\u00a0mammography is the only breast cancer screening tool that\u2019s been proven to reduce deaths from DCIS. Mammograms use compression to reduce the dose of radiation necessary, prevent movement, separate the breast tissue, provide uniform thickness,\u00a0and\u00a0increase detail in the image, and diminish radiation to the rest of your body.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><b>What can you expect from your mammogram?<\/b>\u00a0A mammogram typically takes about 25 to 30 minutes, including the time you\u2019ll spend filling out paperwork about your medical history. You\u2019ll need to be undressed from the waist up, and a specially qualified radiologic technologist will\u00a0position each breast on the flat surface of the mammography unit. Your breast will be compressed with a paddle, often made of Plexiglas or another clear plastic, and the technologist will gradually compress your breast\u00a0and then take images of the breast\u00a0tissue. Two images are usually needed for each breast, though more may be\u00a0necessary. While the images are being captured you\u2019ll be asked to hold your breath. The exam may be a bit uncomfortable\u00a0but typically, that discomfort will quickly subside once the test is over.\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><b>What happens next?<\/b>\u00a0If there are any questionable\u00a0areas\u00a0detected by the mammogram,\u00a0the radiologist\u00a0may recommend further imaging tests.\u00a0You and your referring health care provider will be notified of the results and any further testing or follow-up necessary.\u00a0\u00a0<\/li>\n<li><b>How often should you get a mammogram?<\/b> For most women, a mammogram is recommended\u00a0yearly.\u00a0The age at which you should start getting mammograms is under debate: the American College of Radiology recommends annual screenings beginning at age 40, while the American Cancer Society\u00a0leaves screenings at the discretion of the woman and her doctor between the ages of 40 and 44, with annual screenings starting at 45.\u00a0Women\u00a0with a\u00a0high risk of breast cancer\u00a0may need to begin screening much earlier.\u00a0\u00a0Talk to your doctor for advice on what\u2019s best for you.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>If you need a mammogram or other diagnostic screening, Salem Radiology can help. Established in 1974, we are the largest radiology group in the\u00a0area\u00a0and offer a depth of specialization among our doctors that you would expect to find only at major university medical centers. To learn more or schedule an appointment, call\u00a0(503) 399-1262 or\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.net\/contact\/\">contact us<\/a>\u00a0through our website.\u00a0<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Have you been putting off your mammogram?\u00a0Many women delay having this important screening because it seems like a hassle, or they\u2019re\u00a0anxious\u00a0about the procedure, or they just don\u2019t seem to be able to fit it into their schedules. If\u00a0this sounds like you, it\u2019s time to prioritize your breast health. Make 2019 the year that you put [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1192,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1185","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1185","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1185"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1185\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1185"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1185"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.salemradiology.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1185"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}