At Garden Park Medical Center we know that a picture is worth a thousand words. That’s why we have the latest technology and a highly skilled team of imaging physicians and technologists available to offer you first-rate care that is quick, convenient and personalized to meet your approach.
Mammography is a specific type of imaging that uses a low-dose x-ray system for examination of the breast. Mammography plays a central role in the early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before you might actually feel the lump in your breast.
Garden Park Medical Center’s full field digital mammography uses computers and specially designed digital detectors to produce an image that can be displayed on a high resolution computer monitor and transmitted and stored just like computer files. The digital image allows the radiologist to manipulate the image to adjust the brightness, change contrast, and zoom in for close ups of specific areas of interest.
In conjunction with the digital mammography unit, Garden Park Medical Center also offers the Computer-Aided Detection. CAD provides a “second read” of the mammogram by the computer. This assists the radiologist in making an accurate diagnosis.
Annual mammograms are recommended for women ages 40 and older. At age 35, women should get their baseline screening mammogram. If you have a history of breast cancer or breast cancer risk factors, talk to your doctor about when to start your mammograms. Our hospitals offer a warmer, softer digital mammogram that provides a higher-quality image for earlier detection.
To schedule your annual mammogram, please call (228) 575-7151 or pre-register online.
Risks & Prevention
If you have developed breast cancer, Garden Park Medical Center can help improve your quality of life and long term survival through treatment and monitoring.
- One in eight women will get breast cancer
- Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer
- This year more than 232,000 new cases of breast cancer are expected in the United States
- Mammography can detect breast cancer up to two years before it is large enough to be felt
- When breast cancer is found early, the five-year survival rate is 96 percent
If you haven’t been already, chances are great that you will be affected by breast cancer at some point during your life — whether it develops within you, or it develops within someone you know or care about. While both men and women can get breast cancer, the risks are alarmingly high for women:
| By age 35 | 1 in 622 |
| By age 45 | 1 in 93 |
| By age 55 | 1 in 33 |
| By age 65 | 1 in 17 |
| Ever | 1 in 8 |
Source: National Cancer Institute Surveillance Program
While the causes of breast cancer are unknown, researchers have identified a number of factors that increase a woman’s risk of getting breast cancer. These risk factors do not necessarily cause breast cancer, but are associated with an increased chance of getting breast cancer. Importantly, some women have many risks and never develop breast cancer, while some women have few or no risks but do get the disease. It is important to know the risk factors and do what you can to prevent them. Not all risk factors can be prevented. However, for those that can, take the appropriate preventative measures. Self-breast exams and annual mammograms can also help in the fight against breast cancer.
- Family history of breast, ovarian or prostate cancer
- Personal history of breast or ovarian cancer
- Getting older
- Starting menopause after the age of 55
- Having your first period before the age of 12
- Having a previous biopsy showing atypical hyperplasia or cancer
- High bone density
- Ashkenazi Jewish heritage
The best defense against breast cancer is you.
Women in their 20s should begin monthly self-breast exams. Find information below on performing breast self-exams, or consult your physician.
The chances of beating breast cancer increase when it’s detected early. You can take an active role in early detection and your overall breast health with monthly breast self-examinations. Follow these breast self-exam steps every month for the most effective check.
Complete yearly exam beginning at age 40, earlier for high-risk patients.
Mammography is the most widely accepted method of screening for breast changes and detecting breast cancer early. Mammograms can often identify cancer several years before physical symptoms ever develop, and early detection could help save your life. Because approximately one in eight women will get breast cancer, your best chance of finding breast cancer early is through a combination of regular mammograms, routine breast exams by a healthcare professional and personal awareness of changes in your own breasts.
The American Cancer Society recommends asymptomatic women age 40 and over receive both a mammogram and a clinical breast exam every year. It also recommends women ages 20-39 have clinical breast examinations every three years. Women with risk factors for breast cancer should talk with their physician about a personal screening plan based on their situation.
We understand the concerns women have about breast cancer. Our Mammography Department provides a comfortable and private environment focused on the woman seeking breast care. As a Softer Mammogram provider, we make it a top priority to ensure your mammogram is warm and comfortable.
