Early detection is the best defense against breast cancer. When breast cancer is found early, before it has spread beyond the breast, the five-year survival rate is nearly 100%.

Regular screening can help detect breast cancer before you might notice any symptoms.

Providence offers these lifesaving screenings in multiple locations throughout Southern California. Throughout your screening visit, our emphasis is on your comfort, privacy and dignity. Using advanced imaging and diagnostic technologies, Providence’s dedicated breast radiologists are able to discover small cancers in their earliest, most treatable stages.

This routine screening tool takes low-energy X-ray images of the breasts to look for early signs of cancer in women who aren’t experiencing any symptoms. The goal of this procedure is to detect cancer as early as possible. Thanks to the increase in women who routinely get screening mammograms, today more breast cancers are being caught in the earliest, most treatable stages.

If you have a screening mammogram scheduled but develop a symptom before your appointment, please let the technologist know before the start of your exam. Changes in your imaging study may be needed if you’re now experiencing symptoms.

If you have a breast lump or other breast symptoms, or if a screening mammogram has revealed something unusual, your doctor may schedule a diagnostic mammogram. This is the same as a screening mammogram, except that the X-rays will focus specifically on the suspicious area, taking magnified images from several angles.

Diagnostic mammograms can help determine whether the area in question is normal or requires further testing. Fortunately, most painful breast lumps or calcifications that appear on mammograms aren’t cancer.

In 3D mammography, also known as digital tomosynthesis, the procedure is similar to getting a standard 2D mammogram. However, the X-ray takes more images and combines them to create a clearer, three-dimensional view of the breast.

Studies have found that 3D mammograms identify more cancers, result in fewer false positives, and detect more cancers in patients with all levels of breast density and in all age groups.

3D mammograms are more effective in women who are 65 and older.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) uses magnets and radio waves rather than X-rays, so it doesn’t involve any radiation. It takes longer than a mammogram – about 30-45 minutes – and may be used to more closely evaluate patients in special circumstances. These may include patients who:

• Are at especially high risk for breast cancer
• Have been newly diagnosed with breast cancer
• Are at risk for recurrence after treatment
• Had abnormal findings on a mammogram or ultrasound
• Have breast implants

This imaging technique is often used after a mammogram to provide more information, such as whether a lump is solid – indicating a potential cancer – or filled with fluid like a cyst. During this painless procedure, a lubricating jelly is spread over the area being evaluated, and a wand-like instrument sends sound waves into the breast, reflecting an image of the area onto a screen.

An automated breast ultrasound is a screening tool that is most useful for women who have dense breast tissue, done in conjunction with their screening mammogram.

Dense breast tissue sometimes makes it difficult to see the subtle findings detected in a mammogram. This technique is helpful as an additional screening tool since is allows for detection of small masses or lumps despite the density of the breast tissue.