We are certified by the American College of Radiology's mammography accreditation program. In fact, several of our radiologists are Certified Reviewers for that organization, which means that they help develop the standards and guidelines used in accrediting breast imaging programs at other medical institutions. We are also certified by the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and by the federal government under the Mammography Quality Standards Act. Our medical expertise in performing both screening and diagnostic mammograms is only part of our service. We're a patient-centered facility, which means that we are very aware of women's emotional needs and concerns surrounding breast care.
Breast cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-related death in women.
Since it is much more treatable when detected at an early stage, it is essential to use effective techniques to detect it as early as possible. A mammogram is a set of X-ray images of the breasts. The images are obtained by placing the breast in a special mammography machine, which is designed so that a radiation beam passes through the breast and forms an image of it on an X-ray film. The breast is held in compression for each X-ray exposure to achieve the clearest possible image. You may be wondering why a mammogram cannot be performed with the same kind of equipment used for X-rays of the chest or bones.