3D Mammograms
Reid Health provides advanced mammogram screenings using leading-edge technology, so you can prioritize your health without traveling far from home.
Advanced 3D mammograms available close to home
Early detection of breast cancer offers women (and men) the best options for treatment. With the advanced 3D mammograms available at the Reid Health Breast Center, women and men in East Central Indiana and West Central Ohio have access to high-quality screenings that can identify cancers before they’ve spread, when they’re easier to treat. You can schedule a mammogram at Reid directly — no referral is needed.
What is a mammogram?
A mammogram is an X-ray screening that takes images of breast tissue. Providers and radiologists study the images to find calcifications and masses that might suggest breast cancer. These abnormalities don’t necessarily mean you have cancer, but they can help your provider decide if further testing is needed.
During a mammogram, a technician places your breast on the plastic plate of an X-ray machine. Another plate firmly presses down from above, flattening your breast. The technician will repeat these steps to get a side-view image of your breast and again with your other breast. The compression lasts only a few seconds, and the entire test takes about 15 minutes.
You might need a mammogram for different reasons:
- Screening mammograms: These annual screenings are used to view breast tissue in women who have no symptoms or concerns about their breast health.
- Diagnostic mammograms: This type of mammogram is used to investigate something unusual seen on a screening mammogram. Providers might also use them for women who’ve previously been diagnosed with breast cancer.
After your mammogram, a radiologist will read your images and share their findings with you and your provider. For screening mammograms, you will receive results before leaving the facility. For a diagnostic mammogram, results can take up to a few weeks.
If your mammogram results are normal, your provider will tell you to continue with routine screening mammograms. Your provider can compare each mammogram to previous screenings and monitor any changes.
If your provider finds anything unusual in your mammogram, you might need additional testing. Abnormal findings in a mammogram don’t necessarily mean you have breast cancer. Your provider will talk with you about any follow-up testing or care you might need to diagnose the cause of changes to your breast tissue.
Who should get a mammogram?
How often you need a mammogram depends on your age and medical history. Your women’s health provider can review your health history and let you know when and how often you should have breast cancer screenings.
For women at average risk, the American Cancer Society recommends:
- Women ages 40 to 44 should have the option to get a mammogram every year.
- Women ages 45 to 54 should get a mammogram each year.
- Women 55 and older can choose to get mammograms every year or every other year. They should continue screenings as long as they’re in good health and expected to live at least 10 or more years.
Women at higher risk of breast cancer might need earlier or more frequent screenings, depending on their risk factors. Factors that can increase your risk for breast cancer include:
- Family history of breast cancer
- Having dense breast tissue (more fibrous and glandular tissue than fatty tissue)
- Having genetic mutations, particularly in the breast cancer 1 (BRCA1) and breast cancer 2 (BRCA2) genes
- Radiation treatments to the chest before age 30
Cancer Care
Make your next mammogram as convenient as possible
Reid hosts Women’s Health Day on the first Thursday of every month. You can sign up for a two-hour appointment that combines your annual mammogram with a Pap test and DEXA osteoporosis screening. You’ll also get a complimentary gift bag.
The 3D mammogram advantage
Reid offers 3D digital mammograms, which are the gold standard for detecting cancers in women younger than 50 and those with dense breast tissue. This technology captures numerous images as the machine moves around the breast, creating thin slices for clearer 3D visualization. Radiologists can zoom in, sharpen, and rotate these images, reducing the chances of you needing follow-up imaging.
Additionally, digital mammograms detect up to 28% more cancers than film and are stored on computers for easy enhancement and transmission. Reid’s equipment features color-changing lights to help you relax during the procedure.
Take the next step in your care
Nationally recognized cancer care
National Accreditation program for Breast Cancers (NAPBC)
NAPBC accreditation highlights our commitment to excellence in breast cancer care and support services.
American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer®
