Salem Radiology has been a leader in breast cancer screening, detection and diagnosis for over 30 years. Digital Mammography is a critical tool in the battle against this terrible disease. At every turn, we have sought to provide our patients and their doctors with the most advanced diagnostic technology in the world and the most complete mammography practice anywhere in our area.

We were the first provider in the area to acquire digital mammography (2004), long before any of the area hospitals and even before many of the insurance companies came to understand its clinical superiority. And, we continue to invest in the best the market has to offer: in July, 2009, we installed a new state-of-the-art GE Essential large format system in our Salem location .

Our mammography practice includes the use of Computer Aided Detection (CAD), quality management and tracking software (PenRad) and a comprehensive monitoring and follow-up strategy with our patients and their doctors to maximize compliance with recommended exam schedules (e.g., the American College of Radiology recommends an annual exam for all women over 40). Our radiologists are extremely diligent in terms of obtaining and reviewing "prior" studies to ensure that no material changes have occurred over time.

We offer Digital Mammography at both our Salem and North Andover locations.

Read more about all our Womens' Health Services

The Basics   Mammography is a low-dose X-ray of the breast tissue that allows detection of tumors and cysts. It also helps to differentiate between benign tumors (non-cancerous) and malignant ones (cancerous). Mammograms are classified as either screening exams (a basic preventive exam aimed at identifying any potential problems at the earliest possible time) or diagnostic exams. Diagnostic mammograms are used to evaluate a woman who has a known breast problem or who has had an abnormal result on a screening mammogram. Mammograms can detect cancers too small to be felt by the patient during a breast self-exam, or by her doctor or nurse during a clinical exam

Patient Preparation   Please do not use deodorant, perfume, powder or lotion under the arms or on the breasts on the day of your appointment. Please wear a two-piece outfit, so that you will only have to undress from the waist up. Please remove any jewelry around the neck.

If you have had previous mammograms at other locations, please bring copies of those reports and images or request they be sent to us in advance of your exam. These studies or reports are important to the radiologist interpreting your mammogram. Please tell your doctor or the technologist if you are pregnant or breast feeding.

Also, please remember to bring a copy of your insurance card with you.

What Can I Expect?   A technologist will guide you through your exam. First, you will be asked to undress from the waist up and will be given a gown to wear. One breast at a time will be placed between a surface containing an X-ray "plate" and an adjustable platform that will briefly compress the breast. With this compression, you may feel some pressure but discomfort should be minimal. You may be asked to hold your breath while the breast is being imaged. Please feel free to ask the technologist working with you any questions.

Length of Exam   Less than 10 minutes for most exams.

Obtaining the Results   You should always consult with your doctor to discuss the results of any exam. Mammography is different from most imaging tests, however, in that providers such as Salem Radiology are required to provide all patients a "layman's letter" in which the results of the exam and any recommendations by the radiologist are communicated directly to you (as well as your doctor). Typically, as outlined below, any abnormal results are communicated to your doctor's office before the letters are mailed. Our hope is to ensure that you have a chance to discuss the results with your doctor before getting something in the mail which may cause unnecessary concern.

Screening exams   These regular preventive exams are inherently non-urgent and usually negative. In these cases, a transcribed report will be faxed or mailed to your doctor (based on their preference) within a few days.

If there is a suspicious finding as part of your screening mammogram that the radiologist believes warrants further exploration to ensure a more complete diagnosis, such will be communicated in the report to your doctor. Depending on the actual finding, the radiologist may also contact your doctor directly. In some instances the radiologist may recommend to your doctor a follow-on diagnostic mammogram, a breast ultrasound and in fewer instances a Breast MRI or breast biopsy as part of a comprehensive diagnostic process. All of these services are readily available at our Salem location with the exception of Breast MRI which we perform at Merrimack Valley MRI in Methuen.

Diagnostic Mammograms   Depending on the nature of the exam, you and your doctor may wish to obtain the results of a diagnostic mammogram quickly. When doctors require results of any exam quickly, our clinical team will provide the doctor with a "preliminary read" (sometimes called a "STAT" or "WET" read) either on a hand-written fax or via a telephone call to the doctor's office. It is also common on these cases and in particular, on complex or more urgent cases, for our radiologists to call and consult with your doctor directly. This direct line of communication provides your doctor with prompt and actionable diagnostic information which they in turn can use in recommending an immediate course of treatment.

After preliminary findings are reported to the patient's doctor, these cases follow the standard process described above for non-urgent screening exams, with a final report going to the physician's office within a day or two.