Mammography uses low-dose x-rays to examine the tissues of the breast. The result is an image showing details of the structure and function of specific organs and internal body parts.

Digital Mammography
Valley West Community Hospital provides full-field digital mammography, advancement over previous forms of digital mammography. Full field digital images are able to show very small masses and are more visible on digital mammography than on standard film screen mammograms.

Digital mammography addresses the weak areas of film mammography, particularly the detection of cancerous masses in women with dense breast tissue. This more advanced technology has the potential to detect currently “invisible” cancers.

Film and digital mammography are similar in their ability to detect cancer. With digital mammography, however, radiologists can manipulate the images electronically to magnify an area, change contrast, or alter brightness. This allows them to scan for detail never before possible.

Screening Mammography detects changes in women who have no signs or symptoms of breast cancer, and involves compression of the breast to provide the radiologist with two to three clear, sharp images of the breast tissue.

Diagnostic Mammography checks breast tissue in women after a lump or other sign or symptom of breast cancer has been found, and can also be used to evaluate changes found during a screening mammogram.

Galactograms, also called Ductogram, are contrast enhanced mammograms used for imaging of the breast ducts, which aids in the diagnosis of reasons for abnormal nipple discharge, and is helpful in diagnosis of ductal ectasia, fibrocystic changes and intraductal papillomas.

Needle Localization performed with mammography allows the technologist to place a wire marker in proximity of tumors, prior to surgical biopsy, and increases the accuracy of the surgical biopsy when the tumor is too small to be felt.

Stereotactic Breast Biopsy is performed when the patient or physician prefers a non-surgical method of assessing a breast abnormality, and removes cells from a suspicious area in the breast and allows further examination of the abnormal tissue. A needle is used to extract fluid and/or cells from the abnormal area.

Breast Ultrasound
Breast Ultrasound helps physicians diagnose breast abnormalities detected during a physical exam and identify abnormalities seen on a screening mammogram.

Ultrasound Guided Breast Biopsy helps guide the technologist to the site of an abnormal growth, when the abnormal area is too small to be felt or find the lesion by hand. A needle is used to extract fluid and/or cells from the abnormal area.

Breast Cyst Aspiration helps you physician determine if abnormalities is a cyst or tumor by draining fluid from an abnormality. Common in women, cysts are fluid-filled sacs that can be drained by needle insertion, which is often guided by ultrasound imaging.