A lump in the breast or armpit. A change in breast shape or size. Changes to the nipples or skin. These are the common signs of breast cancer that people know to look for. But many people do not realize that most breast cancers do not present with a lump that can be detected by touch.
As the Triangle’s local imaging leader, Wake Radiology offers 3D mammograms for greater accuracy and earlier and easier detection. More than a quarter of a million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed in the United States each year, and state-of-the-art 3D technology is the most accurate screening exam available in the fight against the disease.
With conventional mammography, radiologists could only view breast tissue in a flat image, making it difficult to see all the individual structures, especially in dense breasts.
3D mammography provides radiologists with an unprecedented view of different structures as well as the location, size, and shape of any abnormal tissue, including smaller, more invasive cancers. With this advanced imaging capability, breast cancer detection can be improved by 27 to 50 percent, and request rates for additional images are reduced by 40 percent.
The American College of Radiology (ACR) recommends that women who are at average risk of breast cancer get screening mammograms every year starting at age 40. A physician’s referral is not needed to get your screening mammogram at Wake Radiology if you have seen your primary care provider within the past 18 months. However, if you have a family history of the disease or carry the BRCA1 or the BRCA2 gene, talk to your primary care physician, gynecologist, or radiologist about when and how frequently you should start having mammograms.
For enhanced patient convenience, Wake Radiology has 12 breast imaging locations throughout the Triangle that can get patients in and out in 30 minutes or less. All of Wake Radiology’s physicians are board certified, and every breast imaging office is accredited by the American College of Radiology and has earned the organization’s highest recognition as a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence (BICOE).
For Breast Cancer Awareness month, take the Wake Radiology pledge to schedule your annual screening mammogram and encourage your friends and loved ones to do the same. When you do, you will be entered for a chance to win a $500 gift card to the Umstead Hotel and Spa. Pledge today at www.wakerad.com/pledge/.