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$100 Mammograms at Silver Cross

In recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness month, the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health is offering digital screening mammograms for just $100 to women who call in between Oct. 1 and 31 to make an appointment by Nov. 30, 2013. The $100 screening mammogram includes the radiologist fee. Cash, check and credit cards will be accepted at time of appointment—insurance will not be billed.  Please mention SPECIAL MAMMOGRAM when calling (815) 300-7076 to schedule an appointment with a doctor’s order.  Don’t have a doctor?  Call 1-888-660-HEAL or visit www.IMatter.silvercross.org for a free referral.

 

Plus, through the Silver Cross free I Matter™ program, Center for Women’s Health patients receive valuable discounts from over 50 local businesses just for getting their regular health screenings.  To learn more, visit www.IMatter.silvercross.org.

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5 Important Things to Know about Mammograms

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  1. They can save your life. Finding breast cancer early reduces your risk of dying from the disease by 25-30% or more. Women should begin having mammograms yearly at age 40, or earlier if they're at high risk.

 

  1. Don't be afraid. Mammography is a quick procedure (about 20 minutes), and discomfort is minimal for most women. The procedure is safe. There's only a very tiny amount of radiation exposure from a mammogram. And, to relieve your anxiety of waiting to get the results, Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health can learn their results within 24 hours or less. 

 

  1. Get the best quality you can. The new gold standard is a digital mammogram which is recorded onto a computer so that doctors can enlarge certain sections to look at them more closely.  If this is your first time at the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health, bring your past mammogram films/results with you so our board certified onsite radiologists can look for changes year to year.  And, be prepared to talk about previous unusual findings or symptoms with the technologist who performs the mammogram.  On the day of the exam, don’t wear deodorant or antiperspirant, since these can show up on the film and interfere with the test results.  Finally, avoid scheduling your mammogram at a time when your breasts are swollen or tender, such as right before your period.

 

  1. Mammography is our most powerful breast cancer detection tool. However, mammograms can still miss 20% of breast cancers that are simply not visible using this technique. Other important tools such as breast self-exam, clinical breast examination, and possibly ultrasound or MRI (both are available at Silver Cross), can and should be used as complementary tools, but there are no substitutes or replacements for a mammogram.

 

  1. An unusual result requiring further testing does not always mean you have breast cancer. According to the American Cancer Society, about 10% of women who have a mammogram will require more tests. Only 8-10% of these women will need a biopsy, and about 80% of these biopsies will turn out not to be cancer. It’s normal to worry if you get called back for more testing, but try not to assume the worst until you have more information.

 

When to Get a Mammogram

There's a lot of confusion out there about when and how often to get a mammogram. For now, the recommendation is that women get a mammogram once a year, beginning at age 40. If you're at high risk for breast cancer with a strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer or have had radiation treatment to the chest in the past, it's recommended that you start having annual mammograms at a younger age. This, however, is something that you should discuss with your doctor.

 

About the Center for Women’s Health

The Center for Women’s Health represents a unique concept in women’s healthcare. Located on the new Silver Cross Hospital campus at I-355 and Route 6 in New Lenox, the Center was the first in the region to provide an advanced level of diagnostics coupled with specialized care for women in one convenient location. Set in a spa-like environment, the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health offers a variety of healthcare services designed around a woman’s needs and lifestyle. In addition to digital mammography, the Center offers breast ultrasound and biopsy, bone densitometry, and a breast cancer support group.

 

In addition, the Silver Cross Center for Women’s Health has been designated a Breast Imaging Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and is uniquely staffed with a Certified Breast Care Nurse (CBCN™).  “By having a Certified Breast Care Nurse working at the Center, we are able to offer our patients even more specialized and personalized care,” said Vasiliades. “This specialized nurse guides our patients through the next steps in their care.”

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