3D Mammography

Detecting breast cancer with the latest technology

Other than certain types of skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common form of cancer affecting women in the U.S. Statistics tell us that 1 in 8 women will develop breast cancer in her lifetime. Of these, 8 out of 9 who are diagnosed have no family history of breast cancer.

Breast cancer screening – checking for cancer before there are any symptoms – is one of the most important things women can do to protect their health. This includes monthly self-examination of the breast; an annual clinical exam performed by a physician or other healthcare provider; and screening mammography.

“Our radiologists recommend that you get a mammogram starting at age 40 and continue yearly,” said Doretha Pridemore, RN, clinical supervisor of the King’s Daughters Breast Care Center. “Breast changes can happen all of the time as women age, have children and experience hormonal changes.”

Women should discuss their personal risk of developing breast cancer, as well as the benefits of screening mammography, with their primary care provider to make a decision regarding what’s best for them personally.

3D Mammography

King’s Daughters offers the latest in mammography – the Genius 3D Mammogram from Hologic. Hologic, a world leader in in mammography, developed the 3D technology, called breast tomosynthesis. 3D mammography has been clinically shown to find 20 to 65 percent more invasive breast cancers than 2D mammography alone.

3D mammography is most beneficial for first time mammograms, for those whose previous test results weren’t clear, and for those whose breast tissue is considered dense.

“You still do the standard side-to-side and top-to-bottom view,” Pridemore explained. “But during a 3D mammogram, the machine does a sweeping motion across the breast and takes 1mm image slices of the tissue, which breaks the tissue down so that you can see through it better than you could before.”

These slices allow the radiologist to view each individual layer of breast, rather than a shadow of the entire breast. By looking at each layer individually, the radiologist can detect abnormalities that could be hidden by overlying tissue in a 2D exam. 3D mammography has the same X-ray dosage as a 2D mammogram. For all mammography, King’s Daughters uses the lowest radiation dose possible.

Perhaps the best benefit of 3D mammography is early cancer detection. “You’re detecting things a whole lot earlier,” said Pridemore. “We are able to detect something as small as 2mm, which virtually would have gone unnoticed before.”

Schedule your screening today!

3D mammography is available at the King’s Daughters Breast Care Center in Ashland, Ky., and at King’s Daughters Medical Center Ohio in Portsmouth, as well as on our Mobile Mammography Unit that travels throughout the region, providing mammograms at schools, health centers, workplaces, places of worship and more.

Nearly every insurance plan covers screening mammography at 100 percent. If you don’t have insurance, King’s Daughters has grants available to help pay for screening, as well as other services should they be needed.

King’s Daughters does not require a physician referral for a screening mammogram, making the whole process of getting screened that much easier. To schedule a 3D exam, please call us at (606) 408-1111.