Valley Radiologists - Diagnostic Imaging Services

Breast Screening Center

Excellence in Breast Imaging and Coordination of Care

Overlake's Breast Screening Centers provide breast health screening services at two convenient location, in Bellevue and Issaquah. Our skilled technologists strive to make your experience as comfortable as possible. When you receive your digital screening mammogram at one of our screening centers, your exam will be read by highly-trained, dedicated, breast imaging radiologists. Should additional evaluation become necessary, a seamless transition to the Overlake Breast Diagnostic Center is arranged, expediting care.

Make Your Appointment Today
To make a mammogram appointment for either location, call 425.688.5700.

Current guidelines from the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recommend that women get annual mammograms beginning at age 40.

Breast Diagnostic Center

Overlake Breast Diagnostic Center is Designated as a Breast Center of Excellence by the American College of Radiology

The Overlake Breast Diagnostic Center provides comprehensive diagnostic breast imaging services in a soothing environment. Valley Radiologists' physicians lead the team of highly skilled staff in caring for patients who are symptomatic or have breast-related conditions. The center offers state-of-the-art digital imaging equipment. If there is a need for additional evaluation following a screening mammogram or if a woman has symptoms warranting additional imaging, diagnostic mammograms, breast ultrasound, stereotactic and ultrasound-guided biopsies are provided to ensure early detection of breast cancer. If a positive diagnosis occurs, the Breast Diagnostic Center facilitates care with the highly skilled members of the Cancer Center at Overlake ensuring that the patient receives seamless treatment.

Contact Us
The Breast Diagnostic Center is open Monday through Friday,
7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For an appointment, call 425.688.5700.

ICAD (Intelligent Computer-Aided Detection)

To ensure your peace of mind, the Overlake Breast Center has invested in the latest technology in computer-aided detection. We proudly offer the innovative MammoReader*, a powerful, Intelligent Computer-aided Detection system that searches for all primary signs of breast cancer.

The MammoReader is similar to having a "second set of eyes" review your mammogram. After your mammogram is performed, a radiologist reviews your films. Then the MammoReader scans your films digitally. A computer analyzes the images for signs of breast cancer. Areas that the MammoReader identifies as suspicious are highlighted for the doctor to review.

This "double read" of the mammogram, once by the radiologist and once by the computer, has been proven to assist in detecting breast cancer earlier.

How should I prepare for the procedure?
Before scheduling a mammogram, please discuss any new findings or problems in your breasts with your doctor. In addition, inform your doctor of any prior surgeries, hormone use, and family or personal history of breast cancer. Do not schedule your mammogram for the week before your period if your breasts are usually tender during this time. The best time is one week following your period. Always inform your doctor or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that you are pregnant. Please report to admitting 15 minutes prior to the exam time.

Recommendations

Do not wear deodorant, talcum powder, or lotion under your arms on the day of the exam. These can appear on the x-ray film as calcium spots.
Describe any breast symptoms or problems to the technologist performing the exam. If possible, obtain prior mammograms and make them available to the radiologist at the time of the current exam.
Ask when your results will be available; do not assume the results are normal if you do not hear from your doctor or the mammography facility.

How does the procedure work?
The breast is exposed to a small dose of radiation to produce an image of internal breast tissue. The image of the breast is produced as a result of some of the x-rays being absorbed while others pass through the breast to expose the film. The images are digitally stored and read by the radiologist on a computer. Images of past studies are compared to images of future studies.

How is the procedure performed?
During mammography, a specially-qualified radiologic technologist will position you and image the breast. The breast is first placed on a special cassette and compressed with a paddle (often made of clear Plexiglas or other soft plastic).

Breast compression is necessary in order to:

Even out the breast thickness so that all of the tissue can be visualized
Spread out the tissue so that small abnormalities won't be obscured by overlying breast tissue
Allow the use of a lower x-ray dose since a thinner breast tissue is being imaged.
Hold the breast still in order to eliminate blurring of the image caused by motion
Reduce x-ray scatter which also leads to poor image quality

You will be asked to change positions slightly between images. The routine views are a top-to-bottom view and a side view. The process is repeated for each breast. The examination process should take about half an hour. When the mammography is completed you will be asked to wait until the technologist examines the images to determine if more are needed.

Who interprets the results and how do I get them?
A radiologist, who is a physician experienced in mammography and other x-ray examinations, will analyze the images, describe any abnormalities, and suggest a likely diagnosis. The report will be dictated by the radiologist, and then sent to your referring physician. You will also be notified of the results by the mammography facility. This notification is usually sent a few days after the official report goes to your doctor.

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