Women’s Health
WOMEN’S IMAGING CENTER
Screening For Women With Dense Breasts
Dense breasts are normal; approximately
40% of women age 40 and over have them.
However, women with dense breasts have a
4-6 times greater
chance of developing
breast cancer.
What’s more, the
glandular tissue of
a dense breast can
obscure cancer on a
mammogram, mak-
identify.
“While mammography
remains the gold
Less Dense
standard, it still only
cancers in women with dense breast tissue,”
said Martha Lima, M.D., a radiologist
with Women’s Imaging Center (WIC). “This
means women with normal mammograms
could end up having cancer that is not
found until later when it’s larger and less
treatable.”
For these reasons, Florida passed breast
density legislation which requires women
mammogram report, and to inform them they
-
tions to improve their chances at early detection.
Automated whole breast ultrasound (ABUS)
is an excellent and cost-effective supplemental
screening tool for most women. Studies
have shown that ultrasound screening sig-
earlier stage cancers before they spread to the
lymph nodes. These studies have demonstrated
that, when combined with mammography,
ABUS screening effectively doubles the detection
rate. 1
Women’s Imaging Center (WIC) has taken
the lead in education for women with dense
breasts, as well as providing a number of
screening options, depending on individual
risk. The ABUS system at WIC is capable
breast in ten minutes, making breast scanning
easier and more
comfortable for patients.
The entire exam
can be completed in
less than 30 minutes.
The patient and her
physician receive a
complete report of the
1Berg WA, Blume JD, Cormack
JB, Mendelson EB, Lehrer D,
Bohm-Velez M, et al. Combined
screening with ultrasound and
mammography vs. mammography
alone in women at elevated
More Dense
risk of breast cancer. JAMA. 2008;299(18):2151-63.
For more information about ABUS ultrasound,
call 863-688-2334
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