Getting a Mammogram

Getting a mammogram is quick and easy. The entire appointment often takes less than 30 minutes and can be scheduled on the same day or next day at some locations. Our staff strives to make your experience as comfortable and convenient as possible, including private dressing rooms.

Preparing for a mammogram

Please remember to do the following:

• Bring a form of identification and insurance card with you to your appointment.
• Bring your doctor’s order/referral.
• Have the contact information of your physician(s) to whom you want the results sent.
• Do not wear deodorant, powder, or lotion under your arms or on your breasts as these products may show up on your mammography images.
• Dress comfortably. We suggest a two-piece outfit so you can leave your clothes on from the waist down.

If you have had mammograms at other institutions, we encourage you to bring the images in for our radiologists to compare.

What happens during a mammogram?

During a mammogram, the mammography technician will ask you to stand in front of the x-ray equipment. One breast is compressed between two plates in order to even out the thickness. This allows us to better image the breast tissue. Also, this enables us to use a lower dose of radiation while maintaining the breast in one position and reducing blurry images due to movement.

Compression of the breast may cause temporary discomfort, but it should not hurt, and only lasts for a few seconds for each image of the breast. The X-ray image is taken and stored digitally in the computer.

The resulting images are read and interpreted by a trained radiologist, specializing in breast imaging. The radiologist will discuss the results with you and send your results to your referring physician(s). We will also provide you a CD with your mammogram images.