UF Health Imaging – Flagler Hospital offers digital mammography, which captures images of the breast using low doses of radiation.
Our digital Senographe Essential offers the largest field of view available in mammography today, which means that virtually any woman - from petite to full-figured - can be scanned in a single exposure per view. During reading, the radiologist is able to change the magnification, orientation, brightness, and contrast of these images.
Services offered by the mammography department include:
You can expedite the process by downloading the form below, filling it out and bringing it with you to your appointment.
UF Health Flagler Hospital’s patient navigator program has been designed to help patients move through the process of breast and Lung cancer all the way through diagnosis, surgery, treatment and recovery. Your Navigator will answer any questions which might arise, discuss test results and recommended treatments, serve as your advisor and advocate, and help coordinate your personalized care plan.
A mammogram is a breast x-ray that is used to find breast cancer that is too small for you or your doctor to detect. A mammogram is the most effective way to detect breast cancer in its early stages. Early detection of breast cancer has been found to increase chances of recovery from Breast Cancer. A woman's need for a mammogram increases with age. All women over the age of 40 should have a clinical breast exam and mammogram once a year. Women with a higher chance of breast cancer because of heredity and other factors may be screened before age 40 or more frequently. Ask your doctor about your risk factors.
UF Health Imaging – Flagler Hospital offers Digital Mammography and 3D Mammograms, which captures images of the breast using low doses of radiation. Because we are committed to providing the earliest possible detection of breast cancer, UF Health Imaging – Flagler Hospital offers computer aided analysis with mammography. The iCAD diagnostic system with Second Look software is a highly sophisticated diagnostic tool used in conjunction with mammography for early detection of breast cancer. The benefits of CAD technology are significant in identifying breast tissue patterns consistent with potentially cancerous lesions at an earlier stage.
UF Health Imaging – Flagler Hospital is proud to offer 3D Mammograms. The Genius™ 3D Mammography exam is the most exciting advancement in mammography in over 30 years.
A Genius exam is an advanced technology in the fight against breast cancer that allows doctors to examine your breast tissue one layer at a time. The imaging system uses high-powered computing to convert digital breast images into a stack of very thin layers or “slices” for your radiologist to review. A good analogy for a Genius exam is thinking of the pages in a book. If you look down at the cover you cannot see all of the pages – but when you open it up, you can go through the entire book page-by-page to see everything between the covers. The Genius exam was designed with the same concept in mind. There’s no additional compression required with a Genius exam, and it only takes a few seconds longer for each view.
Doctors and scientists agree that early detection is the best defense against breast cancer. Successful treatment and survival rates for breast cancer patients are dramatically affected by early detection of breast cancers. If we find breast cancer early, before it has spread to lymph nodes, the five-year survival rate is almost 100 percent. Until now, the best way to do that has been with digital mammography.
The Genius exam detects 41% more invasive breast cancers and reduces false positives by up to 40%. This means one simple thing: more accuracy. This advanced accuracy will reduce having to come back for a additional imaging and fewer unnecessary biopsies.
While digital mammography is still one of the most advanced technologies available today, it is only a 2-dimensional picture of the breast. The breast is a 3-dimensional object composed of different structures, such as blood vessels, milk ducts, fat, and ligaments. All of these structures, which are located at different heights within the breast, can overlap and cause confusion when viewed as a 2-dimensional, flat image. This confusion of overlapping tissue is a leading reason why small breast cancers may be missed and normal tissue may appear abnormal, leading to unnecessary callbacks.
Patients will find the 3D mammogram experience to be similar to that of a 2D mammogram. The test takes about the same amount of time with just a few seconds of compression.
3D mammograms are fully covered for Medicare patients. Coverage by other insurers may vary. For patients whose insurance reimburses only for the cost of a 2D mammogram, a nominal copay is charged.
Do not schedule your mammogram for the week before your period if your breasts are usually tender during this time. The best time for a mammogram is one week following your period. Always inform your doctor or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that you are pregnant.
When making your appointment, please notify the scheduler if you have implants or large breasts, or if you are unable to stand on your own, so that additional time can be allotted for your exam. Please do not use perfume, powder, or deodorant on the day of your exam. If you forget, wipes will be provided to remove them.
If possible, obtain prior mammograms from another facility and drop them off to us ahead of time. This will allow us to scan them into our system before your appointment.
Are you coming in for a mammogram? You can expedite the process by downloading the form below, filling it out and bringing it with you to your appointment. Download mammography worksheet here.
You will be greeted at the front desk and then led into a special mammography suite by one of our mammogram volunteers. Here you will change into a gown and be asked to fill out some basic health questions. A licensed mammography technologist will perform your exam. Your breast will be placed on a special platform on the mammography unit and compressed with a clear plastic paddle.
The exam takes about fifteen minutes to half an hour, depending on the number of images needed. Be sure to inform the technologist if pain occurs as less compression will be used. A diagnostic mammogram or a breast with implants may take longer as it requires more images and different angles to rule out any abnormalities.
A Radiologist, a physician with expertise in supervising and interpreting radiology examinations, will view the images and send a report to your physician, who will discuss the results with you.
Be sure to contact us at (904) 819-4707 or (904) 819-4720 if, for any reason, you cannot keep your appointment. We will help you reschedule to a more convenient time.
A stereotactic breast biopsy is a minimally invasive procedure that uses special three-dimensional computerized imaging to pinpoint suspicious areas in the breast so that tissue samples may be withdrawn with a needle. Stereotactic breast biopsies are especially useful when the abnormality can be seen on a mammogram or ultrasound but cannot be felt.
How do I Prepare for my Biopsy?
Wear a comfortable two-piece outfit, do not wear deodorant, lotion, powder, or perfume under your arms or on your breast the day of the procedure.
It is recommended that you avoid taking aspirin for one week before your biopsy, or aspirin-like mediations (ibuprofen, Motrin, Advil, etc.) for three days before your biopsy.
Be sure to talk to your doctor before discontinuing any prescribed aspirin therapy or blood thinning medication.
You may want to have a relative or friend present to lend support and also to drive you home afterwards.
What Will I Experience Before and During my Stereotactic Breast Biopsy?
A board certified radiologist who specializes in breast imaging will perform the stereotactic-guided breast biopsy.
You will be awake during the procedure and should experience little discomfort. You will be sitting upright in a chair with your breast placed gently on a platform. Your breast will be compressed using a paddle-shaped instrument, just as a mammogram.
Approximately two to three images will be taken at different angles. This allows the computer to locate the suspicious area for biopsy and assists in the placement of the biopsy needle by the radiologist.
After locating the suspicious area you will receive some local anesthetic. Then, using the computer images as a guide, the needle will be gently inserted into the suspicious area. It is common to take multiple tissue samples from the area.
Generally, the entire procedure is completed in about an hour. A small bandage will be applied. In some cases you may experience a small amount of bruising and mild discomfort. You may be given a cold compress to help minimize swelling and tenderness.
Most women feel fine after the procedure. However, exercise or strenuous activity should be avoided for twenty-four hours after the procedure.
What About the Results?
A pathologist will examine the tissue specimens and will report the findings to your doctor, usually within a few days.
The results of your biopsy will be made available to you through your designated health care provider or doctor.
What if I have to Cancel the Appointment?
Be sure to contact us at (904) 819-4707 or (904) 819-4720 if, for any reason, you cannot keep your appointment. We will help you reschedule to a more convenient time.
Breast MRI uses Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) to look specifically at the breast. It is a non-invasive procedure that doctors can use to:
Each exam produces hundreds of images of the breast. The exam is performed by an MRI technologist and then interpreted by a specialized radiologist in women’s imaging.