OceanMed is the only imaging center in the Cayman Islands with an in-house radiologist specializing in breast health. When it comes to your breast imaging here is a lowdown on what we offer, what we look for and what you can expect.
What we look for:
The two main types of changes are calcification and masses. Mammograms are still the gold standard for seeing calcification – tiny calcium deposits within the breast tissue. Masses are areas of dense breast tissue with a shape and edges that make them look different from the rest of the breast tissue.
Tips for getting a Mammogram:
Try not to have your mammogram the week before you get your period or during your period. Your breasts could be tender or swollen at that time. Some patients find reducing caffeine intake for a couple days before their mammogram or taking Tylenol an hour before makes the process less painful.
On the day of your mammogram please don’t wear deodorant, powder or lotion as it can show up on the x-ray. Wear a two piece outfit (no dresses) as you will need to undress from the waist up for the mammogram.
When will I get the results of my mammogram?
Our radiologist will read your mammogram the same day it’s done and the results will be reported to your family doctor. Usually you will hear in two to three business days.
What happens if your mammogram is abnormal?
An abnormal mammogram doesn’t necessarily mean there is cancer but to know with more certainty you might be referred for additional images or exams. Your doctor might recommend contrast enhanced mammograms, breast ultrasound or a biopsy.
Breast density:
Your mammogram will also contain an assessment of your breast density. For more information about what breast density is and what it means read this.
Automatic Breast Ultrasound:
Automatic Breast ultrasound (ABUS) uses high frequency sound waves to take 3D images of the whole breast. ABUS is often recommended as supplemental screening along with mammography for women with dense breast tissue. ABUS uses a larger 15cm wide transducer to document the breast in three overlapping sections and will produce a 3D volumetric image of the entire breast. This allows our radiologist to check the breast from a variety of angles. ABUS exams are much quicker than traditional ultrasounds, with some systems taking as little as fifteen minutes to perform a bilateral exam, less than half the time of some traditional ultrasounds.
Hand Held Breast Ultrasound:
Handheld breast ultrasound preformed by a qualified sonographer is still the best care for a patient with any mass seen in mammography, for palpated lumps or to look at areas of pain. The technician will move a smaller transducer around the breast looking at each segment in two views. The advantage to hand held ultrasound is that the individual areas of the breast can be looked at in real time, with compression and without and blood flow can be assessed. At OceanMed your breast ultrasound will be preformed on our top of the line Logiq E10 machine.
Breast Biopsy:
A breast biopsy is a procedure to remove a small sample of breast tissue for laboratory testing. Should your doctor recommend a biopsy needs to be done rest assured that you are in good hands at OceanMed. We offer both ultrasound guided and stereotactic breast biopsies. Our expert breast radiologist will first numb your breast with local anesthetic before taking the tissue samples, ensuring your comfort for the duration of the procedure. For stereotactic biopsies OceanMed has the only Affirm Prone Breast Biopsy System on Island. It offers superior 3D imaging and helps make the biopsy not only faster but more precise.
If you’re not a patient of one of our in-house OB/GYNs you can request your doctor provides you a referral to OceanMed for your imaging. We accept referrals from all other medical facilities, and expeditiously send results back to your doctor to review results with you.
We use standard insurance pricing and accept all local private health insurance to ensure all women within our community can access the highest standards of healthcare!
To make an appointment with OceanMed please email us or call us on 946-2326.