ThedaCare mammography specialists are encouraging routine screenings, emphasizing that early detection is important for identifying and treating breast cancer.
“Screening mammography is one of the most important tools we have for finding breast cancer before it causes symptoms,” said Tara Albrecht, RTRM, a patient care coordinator, mammographer and team leader with ThedaCare. “Our goal is to make every patient feel informed, comfortable and cared for.”
Mammograms – low-dose X-rays of the breast – can help identify breast changes that could be cancer years before physical symptoms develop.
“They find small abnormalities before they can be felt,” said Bridget Frasheski, RTRM, a breast imaging quality assurance specialist with the Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin health network. Froedtert ThedaCare is an integrated healthcare system serving nearly all of Wisconsin’s population. “Routine mammograms help the radiologist get a baseline of what your breast tissue looks like. They will then be able to compare imaging from year to year to spot subtle changes that may indicate a problem.”
It’s important to undergo regular mammography screenings, both specialists said. Screening guidelines vary by organization. ThedaCare and the Froedtert & MCW health network both recommend annual mammograms for women of average risk beginning at age 40.
It Can Make a Difference
“One of our biggest goals is to detect breast cancer when it is very small,” Albrecht said. “When breast cancer is found at an earlier stage, it is generally easier to treat. Treatment options and outcomes also are often more favorable.”
“When I first started working in breast imaging more than 30 years ago, many cancers were larger before they could be detected,” she said. “Today, advances such as 3-D mammography allow us to detect many very small abnormalities that may not be palpable. I sometimes describe these findings as being as tiny as a grain of salt or sand.”
Albrecht and Frasheski work to help clarify concerns and misinformation surrounding mammograms. Among the most common:
- Radiation concerns: The radiation dose from a mammogram is very low. Experts agree that early detection outweighs the small risk.
- No family history of the disease: About 75% to 90% of women diagnosed with breast cancer have no family history of the disease. Waiting until symptoms appear could mean having to address the cancer in an already advanced stage.
- Mammograms are painful: The test may cause mild discomfort or pressure. It is brief and should not be severe.
- Compression is harmful to the breast: This is untrue. Compression is required to spread out the breast tissue, reduce the radiation dose and help produce clear images.
What to Expect During a Mammogram?
Appointments usually last 20 to 30 minutes.
It is completely normal to feel anxious about a first mammogram, Frasheski said.
“Compression is brief. Our team will talk you through each step,” she said. “Most patients having their first mammogram tell us afterward that it was much easier than they expected.”
Some people may need to begin their mammograms earlier than others.
“Women who are at increased risk for breast cancer may need to begin screening at a younger age or have additional screening,” Albrecht said. “For example, a woman whose mother was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 40 may be advised to begin screening earlier than average.”
At Froedtert ThedaCare, risk-assessment tools can help identify patients who may benefit from a high-risk evaluation. A high-risk clinic may recommend additional testing. This may include breast MRI, supplemental ultrasound in selected patients and/or genetic counseling and testing, depending on the individual’s risk profile.
About Callbacks
Major health organizations report that roughly one in 10 women receive a callback after a routine screening mammogram, Frasheski said. “Of those called back, fewer than one in 10 are found to have cancer.”
Common callback reasons include unclear or incomplete images that need retaking, dense breast tissue, which can make images harder to read, calcifications (tiny calcium deposits) or other benign changes, asymmetry or areas that look different from surrounding tissue and first-time (baseline) mammograms without prior images for comparison. Most follow-up imaging shows no cancer and many women return to their normal screening schedule.
“If you have questions about when to begin screening, your breast density, your personal or family history or whether you may benefit from additional screening, talk with your healthcare provider or breast imaging team,” Albrecht said.
To schedule a mammogram with ThedaCare, speak with a primary care team or make an appointment online via MyThedaCare.
