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630 NW Englewood Road, Kansas City, MO 64118
(816) 453 -
What to expect:
When you arrive at Imaging for Women, you will fill out the necessary paperwork (you may go to our patient portal -
CAD (computer-
Preparation:
Please remove all powder, lotion and/or deodorant prior to your exam. Wear comfortable clothing and be prepared to change into one of our comfortable capes. Previous exams at another facility? If you have had previous mammograms performed at another facility, we will be happy to obtain those images for you by having you sign a simple release form.
Screening
- If you are not having problems with your breast.
- You do not have to have a physician order for this test; however we do need the name of your physician so that we may send the report to him/her.
3D Mammography
- Imaging for Women is now performing low dose 3D mammography. Our technology gives you 3D tomographic images with the same small amount of radiation as you received from our previous 2D non-
tomographic studies. - Exams are performed by registered technologists who have specialized training and are certified in mammography.
Breast Biopsies
- Breast biopsies are now performed using minimally invasive techniques.
- Imaging for Women offers both ultrasound guided and stereotactic biopsies.
- Low cost procedures; often less than 1/5 the cost of hospitals; also no additional facility fee charge.
- Know your results one week after your biopsy.
1.) What is the difference between a 3D mammogram compared to a regular 2D mammogram?
2.) Will I still have to have my breasts compressed?
3.) What is the advantage of 3D mammography?
4.) Are there any disadvantages to 3D mammography?
5.) Will I get more radiation from a 3D mammogram?
6.) What will happen following my mammogram?
1.) What is the difference between a 3D mammogram compared to a regular 2D mammogram?
Your experience should be very similar to previous mammograms at our office. The only difference you experience is that obtaining 3D imaging will take a few seconds longer than the routine imaging.
2.) Will I still have to have my breasts compressed?
Yes, you still need compression. Why? Compression reduces the amount of radiation we need to examine your breasts. Compression also helps to separate any overlapping tissues so that cancer detection is improved.
3.) What is the advantage of 3D mammography?
- Earlier detection of small cancers that may be hidden in a routine mammogram.
- Better at determining size, shape and location of abnormalities.
- Less unnecessary biopsies or additional exams
- Better able to detect cancer in multiple parts of the breast which is present in 15% of women with breast cancer.
- Better separation of dense tissues.
4.) Are there any disadvantages to 3D mammography?
The equipment is certainly of the highest technology and this increases cost. Another cost is the storage of data for this exam. Each exam requires about 1 gigabyte of data. That’s a lot of data to store!
5.) Will I get more radiation from a 3D mammogram?
Not with our GE low dose 3D system. The small amount of radiation you obtain from this exam is no different than what you received last year from us at your routine 2D exam. This may not be true for other 3D systems, which use higher amounts of radiation during their exams.
6.) What will happen following my mammogram?
After your mammogram images are obtained, they will be reviewed by our radiologist. If any additional imaging needs to be done, we will always give you the option of having it done while you are at our facility. You will be given a layman’s report at the conclusion of your exam.
Diagnostic Exams
If you have a new problem with your breasts (a lump, pain, thickening or skin changes), your doctor needs to send us an order before we can perform the exam.
Being told you need a breast biopsy can be unsettling, and we understand that you will have questions. Below are some answers to commonly asked questions.
1.) What are my options if I’m told I need a biopsy?
If you wish to have the biopsy performed here, we offer both Ultrasound and Stereotactic biopsies. Both types of biopsies use imaging to guide the radiologist to the correct area for sampling. An alternative to a needle biopsy is a surgical excision, which is performed in an operating room at a hospital. A surgical excision is often not necessary if the lesion that is biopsied turns out to be benign.
2.) What is the difference between an Ultrasound guided biopsy compared to a Stereotactic biopsy?
The difference really comes down to which type of imaging is used to find the area that needs to be biopsied.
Ultrasound guided biopsies are done in “real time”, meaning that the radiologist is able to watch the area being biopsied on a monitor as it is happening. This allows the radiologist to biopsy the correct site while avoiding other structures.
3.) What is the difference between an Ultrasound guided biopsy compared to a Stereotactic biopsy?
The difference really comes down to which type of imaging is used to find the area that needs to be biopsied.
Ultrasound guided biopsies are done in “real time”, meaning that the radiologist is able to watch the area being biopsied on a monitor as it is happening. This allows the radiologist to biopsy the correct site while avoiding other structures.
Stereotactic biopsy is done using a pair of mammogram images to target an area of abnormality, which is often calcifications. Special care is taken by the radiologist to select the most appropriate path and images are taken throughout the procedure to ensure the correct area is being biopsied.
4.) What are the risks / potential complications of having a biopsy?
The three most common complications are infection, bleeding, and non-
Infection: The risk for infection is less than 1%. If an infection does occur, it may require you to take antibiotics. This would be managed by your primary / referring physician.
Bleeding: We assume that some bleeding is going on in the breast during and after the biopsy. The amount of bleeding is variable from case to case and this will be discussed with you prior to the biopsy. Sometimes, a collection of blood called a hematoma can develop. If it does, it may take weeks or more to go away and can be quite tender. It is extremely rare that a bleeding complication arises that would require a surgical intervention, but cases of it have been reported so we feel it is important to let you know this.
Non-
5.) Will the biopsy hurt?
For most people, the actual biopsy does not hurt. The skin and tissue around the area to be biopsied are numbed using lidocaine (similar to the numbing medicine used by a dentist). The numbing of the skin and tissues can be minimally uncomfortable for some. Despite our best efforts, some patients do have pain with the biopsy, so it is a possibility. We do our best to minimize a patient’s pain.
5.) How long does it take to get the results?
We schedule for a follow up appointment to go over the results in approximately 1 week. If the results come back sooner, we will call and see if you can come in earlier.
6.) Why should I have the biopsy done here versus a hospital?
The procedure itself is the same no matter where you have it done. At Imaging for Women, we charge on average about 75% less than a hospital to do the biopsy. There is not a separate bill from the radiologist. We do not charge a facility fee.