Breast Health Diagnostic Imaging
Need to schedule an annual 3-D mammogram? Schedule your appointment today.
Regular breast cancer screenings can help detect changes early, when treatment is often most effective. Schedule your appointment today for convenient, high-quality imaging from the trusted experts at Health First.
Breast MRI
Our state-of-the-art magnetic resonance imaging, or MRI, can identify and diagnose breast tumors that other exams may not even detect. We also sometimes use MRI images to guide your doctor during a biopsy.
It is a critical and necessary exam for patients that have a high risk of breast cancer due to gene mutations or a strong family history.
MRI technology uses magnets and radio waves to capture extremely detailed, three-dimensional images of the inside of your breasts.
MRI is slightly more invasive than a mammogram because we use a contrast fluid, given through an IV, to increase visibility within your breasts.
The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends yearly screenings with mammogram plus breast MRI if you are at higher risk for breast cancer based on these factors:
- BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation
- A first-degree relative with a BRCA1/2 mutation
- Radiation treatment to the chest area between ages 10 and 30
- Li-Fraumeni, Cowden or Bannayan-Riley-Ruvalcaba syndrome (a p53 or PTEN gene mutation)
- ATM, CHEK2 or PALB2 gene mutation
- A lifetime risk of invasive breast cancer higher than 20 percent, based on family history.
Biopsy
Your doctor may schedule a biopsy when other diagnostic tests, including a mammogram and an MRI, find a tumor or other abnormality that could possibly be cancerous.
A breast biopsy is the removal and examination of suspicious tissue from inside your breast. A biopsy is the only way to confirm cancer in your breast, but having a biopsy does not mean you definitely have breast cancer.
A sample of tissue from the suspicious area of your breast will be removed and looked at under a microscope by a doctor called a pathologist.
Our pathologist will then send your doctor a report with information about the tissue that was biopsied, including whether or not it is cancerous. The information in the report will be used to determine your treatment options and manage your health and wellness.
Your doctor may use an ultrasound or MRI as a guide during your biopsy.
Biopsy procedures
There are several types of biopsies. The type of biopsy you may need will depend on your specific health situation, your personal preference and other factors you and your doctor should discuss together.
Those factors include:
- How suspicious the tissue may be
- The size of the tumor
- Where in your breast the tumor is located
- How many suspicious areas there are inside your breast
- Other medical concerns you may have
Your doctor may place a thin wire or tiny metal clip as a marker inside your breast once the tissue sample has been removed.
This very small marker cannot be felt inside your breast and should not cause problems in the future. It is used to easily find the area again during future mammograms or surgery.
Your healthcare team is ready and available to answer any questions you may have and to go over the pros and cons of each type of biopsy.
A thin needle — even thinner than needles used for blood tests — is inserted into the lump to remove a bit of fluid containing cells from the tissue.
A needle with a special tip is used to remove a sample of breast tissue about the size of a grain of rice.
This biopsy is performed with a probe that uses a gentle vacuum to remove a small sample of breast tissue.
A small incision is made in the skin and breast tissue to remove all or part of a lump.
This surgical biopsy targets your lymph nodes and is done at the same time as your breast biopsy.