Mammography
Your mammogram is more than just sound preventive health – it can save your life.
1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetime. According to the American Cancer Society, when breast cancer is detected early, and is in the localized stage, the 5-year survival rate is 99%. To beat it, we must find it!
At Tolland Imaging Center, we’re screening for breast cancer with the latest technology that 3D mammography has to offer, with wide-angle, high-definition breast tomosynthesis. 3D mammography provides more detail of your breast tissue, making early and accurate detection of even small cancers achievable.
See the Difference
Our 3D technology helps us see more of your breast structure by taking the widest scan of your breast with the greatest depth resolution of any system on the market. The result is better separation of overlapping tissue that obscures lesions, and high-quality 3D images that help our expert team of radiologists deliver a more precise diagnosis.
Feel the Difference
Personalized compression makes our 3D mammogram less painful and more accurate. Feel the difference with soft compression that slows the paddle when it meets the breast and stops automatically when optimal compression for your breast is reached. Our paddles are built for comfort too, with soft edges and a breast-optimized shape. Our experienced mammography technicians are with you every step of the way to ensure your comfort throughout your exam.
We believe every woman deserves the best that science has to offer. At Tolland Imaging Center, our mammography system is built for your personal needs and pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in the fight against breast cancer.
Frequently Asked Questions about Mammography
Call us today at 860-896-4848 or click here to request your mammogram, and leave breast cancer no place to hide.
Mammography is a method of examining the breasts by using low-dose x-rays. This simple, painless procedure can detect tumors and cysts, often too small to be felt by a manual examination. It can help differentiate between harmless or benign tumors and cancer, although a definitive diagnosis requires a biopsy to study cells from the actual breast lump.
Do not apply powder, creams, or deodorant on the day of the mammography. These items may contain substances that interfere with the accuracy of the x-rays.
You will be asked to undress from the waist up and remove any jewelry in the area to be examined. Our mammography technician will help position you, compress your breast, and take images from different angles. The breasts are examined one at a time.
There may be some temporary discomfort when the breasts are compressed. To minimize the discomfort, the exam should be scheduled for the week following a woman’s menstrual period, when the breasts are their smallest and least tender. At Tolland Imaging Center, our experienced technologists are specialized in mammography and look forward to easing your fears or concerns about your exam.
The entire examination can be completed in 15 or 20 minutes.
At Tolland Imaging Center, most mammogram results are conveyed to our patients or their physicians within 24 hours’ time. Some final exam results may take longer dependent upon prior films reaching our office after the exam has taken place.
There are no known complications to this very simple procedure. As with all x-rays, it is imperative to keep radiation exposure at the lowest levels as possible. Our technology at Tolland Imaging Center produces a reduced exposure than previous technology of the past. The radiation exposure is so small that it is not considered an important health hazard when weighed against the benefits of having the exam.
Women age 40 and older with average risk should have a screening mammogram every year, and should continue to do so for as long as they are in good health. All women should have a risk assessment by age 25 to determine if screening earlier than age 40 is needed based on things such as genetics-based risk factors, those with a calculated lifetime risk of 20% or more, and those exposed to chest radiation at a young age.
A screening mammogram is generally covered as a yearly preventative exam by your insurance.
A diagnostic mammogram requires more detailed images from different angles that allow a radiologist to check certain areas more closely. A physician’s order, with your clinical history, is required for a diagnostic mammogram and it is applied toward a patient’s insurance deductible.
- Breast ultrasound: a non-invasive exam that provides a better view of the breasts, cysts, or masses so that your radiologist can provide an accurate diagnosis.
- Breast MRI: may be ordered after an abnormal finding on your mammogram. Contrast is given through an IV before the procedure.
- Breast Biopsy: a procedure that takes cells and tissue samples with abnormal findings from the area to make a more accurate diagnosis.
