Choosing A Mammogram Centre
Once you are over forty, you must do a regular screening for breast cancer. The form of cancer that affects the breast tissue is more common in women than men and also considered the most prevalent one after skin cancer. It is all the more relevant that you do regular clinical examination and mammography annually. If you are in search of a centre for mammograms in Chennai, you must keep in mind to ascertain the standard of service, equipment, quality and safety. We are an accredited centre for mammogram in Chennai that offer quality services with well-experienced radiologists.
An accredited breast imaging centre will have a complete breast imaging program that includes mammography, breast MRI, breast ultrasound, and breast biopsy. The centre should have experienced radiologists who can accurately detect the issue. A breast imaging specialist can easily detect breast cancer with fewer recall rates. We now offer digital mammography which has effectively replaced the use of film. Digital mammography has been found to give better results in young women, perimenopausal, premenopausal and women with dense breasts. 3D mammograms also have a higher rate of detection with lesser recall rates. A call back for an additional test does not always mean there is something wrong. A facility should be capable of a follow up for quality service to its customers.
Preparing For A Mammogram In Chennai
We always advise our customers who visit our diagnostic centre in Chennai to take certain precautions before the screening. Choosing the right screening facility is the first step. An important thing to keep in mind is that you need to stick to the diagnostic centre for your annual mammogram test. If you plan to change the diagnostic centre, you need to have the prior mammograms available for examination at the new centre. It will also be helpful if you can let us know the name of the diagnostic centre and bring your prior medical records. No radiologist will provide a final interpretation unless they compare the current ones with prior mammograms.
New breast symptoms are an early sign of breast cancer. You must let the centre know about new symptoms when you schedule an appointment. It is important to note for any new lumps in the breast, skin changes, puckering, breast pain, nipple retraction and nipple discharge. This will entail a more detailed examination and the radiologist will fully evaluate the condition. We ask our patient not to wear a powder or deodorant and it will obscure the findings. Wipes will be available at the centre but it is better to come prepared.
Increased compression and less motion will result in better detection. The amount of compression you can tolerate will help identify small cancerous tissue. Breast compression will cause discomfort but it is not painful. A slight motion will result in an unclear image, increased exposure to radiation and in the worst-case scenario a repeat visit to get a clear image. You must hold your breath when we take images of your breast.
Mammogram Screening And Insurance Cover
A mammogram can be an expensive procedure in a city like Chennai. You must find out if your health insurance has a full coverage of annual mammogram screening. Mammography might cause more at the local hospital than at a medical diagnostic centre. The difference is due to the technical component of the pricing. The pricing is based on the cost of the machinery, the salary of the people involved and the cost of running the hospital. Hospitals have an additional cost as they are a bigger facility that is open 24/7.
However hard it is to get a mammogram, it is always advisable to have one conducted every year. There may be rare cases when a mammogram missed identifying cancer, but there are more cases of women in the advanced stage of cancer who’ve never done a screening. A facility that has a doctor reading your mammogram and not having to return for a second sitting is an ideal scenario. A good facility needs to have a radiologist or those who can read the mammogram accurately, both screening mammograms and diagnostic mammograms.
