Mammography at Arnot Health

Studies show that mammography is the BEST method available for the early detection of breast cancer.

Who Should Have a Mammogram

The American College of Radiology recommends the following guidelines for women who do not have any symptoms of breast cancer:

• Women who are 35-40 years old should have a baseline mammogram (i.e. a first mammogram) from which following mammograms can be compared.
• Women who are age 40 and older should have a mammogram every year.

Arnot Health Breast Cancer Diagnosis Services

At Arnot Health, we offer the most complete breast cancer diagnostic services available in the Southern Tier.

• All of our locations are accredited by the American College of Radiology, which has the highest standards of quality for mammography in the United States.
• Our Health Center for Women location is an ACR Breast Imaging Center of Excellence Facility
• 2D and 3D digital mammography available.
• Mammography suite designed to reduce anxiety through calming visuals, sounds and smells.
  Available at the Health Center for Women in Elmira.
• We'll send you a letter to remind you when you are due for your next mammogram.
• While a mammogram is the best detection, breast self-awareness is equally important. We offer instruction on how to properly perform breast self-examination. We also offer onsite clinical breast exams by our nurse navigator at the Health Center for Women.

Being able to manipulate images is one of the main benefits of digital technology. The radiologist reviews electronic images of the breast, using special high-resolution monitors.  The physician can adjust the brightness, change contrast, and zoom in for close ups of specific areas of interest. Because they are electronic, digital mammography images can be easily stored and copied without any loss of information as well as transmitted and received quickly and efficiently.

3D Mammography, or Digital Breast Tomosynthesis allows doctors to examine breast tissue one layer at time. The technology uses a low-dose short X-ray "sweep" around the positioned breast with nine exposures acquired with a "step-and-shoot" method. This helps remove any movement of the x-ray tube, reducing blur and increasing image sharpness. It generates a stack of 1mm slice images ("layers") of breast tissue. Instead of viewing the complexities of your breast tissue in one flat image, the radiologist can examine the tissue one layer at a time. Fine details are more clearly visible, no longer hidden by overlapping tissue.