Yes. Routine annual mammograms, also known as screening mammograms, play a key role in your breast health. Mammograms are safe, non-invasive, and are able to detect subtle changes in the breast years before you or your physician can feel them.
A mammogram is a low dose X-ray that produces highly-detailed images of the breast. Historically, mammograms were displayed and stored on film. Hoag now utilizes digital mammography, where the images are recorded and stored on a secure computer.
Digital mammography represented a significant advance in breast screening and Hoag was the first direct-to-digital mammography facility in Orange County and remains at the forefront of its rapid evolution.
Hoag offers quick and easy scheduling at nine imaging locations throughout Orange County. In addition to full-service phone scheduling for all breast imaging, we now offer online scheduling for routine screening mammograms through MyChart.
Produce highly detailed images of the breast that can be instantly viewed on a computer and securely stored.
Allow your doctor to alter contrast, magnify or otherwise manipulate an image in order to highlight specific areas of the breast.
Can detect subtle changes in the breast before a woman or her physician can feel them.
At Hoag Breast Center, our breast imagers are all dedicated, specialty-trained breast radiologists who are committed to providing the highest level of quality, care, and compassion for women undergoing screening, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up for breast cancer.
And the impact of having high-quality breast radiologists is clear and quantifiable. The table below illustrates National quality benchmarks for mammography in comparison to Hoag Breast Center statistics:
Quality Benchmarks | National Quality Benchmarks | Hoag Breast Center |
Call Back Rate | 10.6% | 7.7% |
Cancer detection rate (per 1000) | 5.6 | 2.5 |
% of exams recommended for biopsy that actually have cancer (PPV2) | 37.6% | >25% or 20-40% |
What does this data mean? It means that by having your screening mammogram at Hoag, you are less likely to be recalled unnecessarily for additional imaging, we are more likely to detect a cancer should you have one, and you are less likely to undergo an unnecessary biopsy than you would at the average screening facility. In short, a screening mammogram performed at Hoag, is more accurate than one performed at most other facilities.
Mammograms are important for all women, so be proactive with your breast health and schedule a screening mammogram today. Mammograms screenings are available at all Hoag imaging locations and breast centers.
If this is your first time having a mammogram at Hoag Breast Care Center, please obtain any previous mammographic studies and bring them with you for comparison purposes. Comparing previous films with present studies allows for a proper diagnosis to be performed. In addition, on the day of your mammogram, please do not use deodorants, creams or powders in the underarm or breast area. Since you will be asked to undress from the waist up and wear a comfortable robe, you will find that wearing a skirt or pants will be more convenient than a dress.
Mammography is the single most effective screening tool available to detect breast cancer early. Today’s low-dose mammography techniques have greatly improved survival from breast cancer because mammography may detect a tumor long before you or your doctor can feel it. If breast cancer is found and treated early, and localized to the breast, the national ten-year relative survival rate is greater than 90 percent. In addition, you have more treatment options, including breast-conserving surgery, when the tumor is detected at an early stage.
If you have breast implants you should still follow the recommended screening guidelines for mammography. It’s especially important for women with implants to receive their mammogram at an accredited facility experienced in performing mammography on patients with breast implants.
When you have implants, several special mammographic views must be taken to allow visualization of both the breast tissue and the implant. Hoag’s team of highly trained breast care technologists knows how to carefully compress your breasts in order to optimize the image, while minimizing the risk of injuring your breast implant.
If you have breast implants you should still follow the recommended screening guidelines for mammography. It’s especially important for women with implants to receive their mammogram at an accredited facility experienced in performing mammography on patients with breast implants.
When you have implants, several special mammographic views must be taken to allow visualization of both the breast tissue and the implant. Hoag’s team of highly trained breast care technologists knows how to carefully compress your breasts in order to optimize the image, while minimizing the risk of injuring your breast implant.
A comprehensive breast health plan includes a Screening Mammography along with regular clinical breast exams by your physician and monthly breast self-examination. Together, these are three important ways you can take positive steps in maintaining good health and increasing your chances for detecting breast cancer at its earliest stages.
Because mammography is considered the single most important tool in the early detection of breast cancer, Hoag has convenient breast screening locations in Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Huntington Beach, Irvine and Newport Beach. To schedule an appointment, please call 800-309-9729.
First, do not get alarmed. Most abnormalities discovered by mammography are benign (not cancer). But if an abnormality is discovered by mammography, you will need additional breast evaluation at Hoag Breast Care Center in Newport Beach. In addition to diagnostic mammography, additional breast imaging may be required including breast ultrasound and breast MRI.
While a Screening Mammogram can be performed at any of our satellite locations, any additional tests are performed at the Hoag Breast Care Center at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach. The reason for this is simple – we have concentrated all of our breast expertise and sophisticated diagnostic tools in a centralized location. In fact, your initial screening mammogram is digitally transmitted directly to the Hoag Breast Care Center and is interpreted there by our expert dedicated breast radiologists.
During mammography, you will feel pressure on the breast as it is squeezed by a compression paddle. Compression is needed in order to produce an optimal mammogram and to reduce the radiation exposure to the breast. For most women, mammography is not painful, although some women may experience minor discomfort. If this is the case, schedule the procedure when your breasts are the least tender.
Hoag’s specialized breast radiologists will carefully and promptly interpret your screening mammogram and send a written report to your physician, who will discuss the results with you. In addition, you will receive a letter notifying you of the results of your mammogram.
Experienced mammography technologists, such as those at Hoag Breast Care Center, know how to image all breast sizes and shapes, including very small breasts. Even if you have small breasts you will generally have enough breast tissue for a mammogram. Breast size and shape rarely affect the accuracy of mammography.
Considering the high incidence of breast cancer and the demonstrated value of mammography, Hoag Breast Care Center and the American Cancer Society propose this guideline: Routine annual mammograms are recommended for all women beginning at age 40.
Mammograms may also be advised for you at any age if you have or develop any of the following signs or symptoms:
Why doesn’t Hoag provide both Screening and Diagnostic mammography at all Hoag Imaging Centers in Orange County?
Screening mammography remains the most effective tool in the early detection of breast cancer. Because the majority of women seeking breast imaging services require only a Screening Mammogram (routine mammogram), Hoag provides multiple screening locations throughout Orange County. This ensures convenient and timely access to routine screening while maintaining the highest quality of service.
It is important to note that all of the Screening Mammograms performed at our satellite Hoag Imaging Centers are read and interpreted solely by the expert breast imaging specialists at Hoag Breast Care Center at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach.
Diagnostic Mammography is a highly specialized imaging study requiring direct and concurrent on site evaluation by breast radiologists who specialize in interpreting mammograms, breast MRIs and ultrasounds, and these are performed at Hoag Breast Care Center at Hoag Hospital, Newport Beach. After a Diagnostic Mammogram is performed, it is immediately read by a Hoag breast radiologist. If necessary, extra views or additional imaging, such as breast ultrasound may be performed at that time. The radiologist discusses the findings with the patient in person, and if additional tests are required, these are discussed and scheduled before the patient leaves the Breast Center.
Having a breast radiologist present and overseeing every Diagnostic Mammogram results in more accurate interpretation, leading to the diagnosis of breast cancer at an earlier stage, and results in fewer false positive readings (findings that are thought to be suspicious, but turn out to be benign). Nationwide, the Positive Predictive Value (PPV) – the ability to correctly predict the presence of a malignant lesion – is 20 percent. Hoag’s commitment to excellence has resulted in a PPV of 48% – meaning that Hoag Breast Care Center is more able to accurately screen and diagnose a malignancy early on.
At the current time, the standard approach for monitoring patients is a physical exam and a review of symptoms anywhere from every three to six months for the first two to three years, then every six months until year five, and annually thereafter. You should continue to have annual mammograms of the other breast.