Taking The Stress Out Of Breast Screening

{ IN GOOD HEALTH } TAKING THE STRESS OUT OF BREAST SCREENING

The Same Day Breast Imaging Results Program at CBMC means patients obtain their screening mammogram results while they wait, and may undergo any additional imaging if necessary.

As anyone who has undergone important medical screenings knows, waiting for test results can be agonizing. Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center (CBMC), in conjunction with the Rutgers Cancer Institute of New Jersey, is alleviating the anxiety associated with awaiting those results with the return of the Same Day Breast Results Program, which was on hiatus during COVID but resumed on Oct. 3, 2022.

This program, run by The Breast Center, allows patients scheduled for a screening to undergo their mammogram, wait for their results and have further imaging if needed, all in one visit.

The process is simple. Following your screening mammogram, one of the breast radiologists will interpret your mammogram and determine if you need any additional imaging while you wait. The wait time is typically 20–30 minutes, says Linda Sanders, M.D., medical director of The Breast Center at the Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center, but can be up to an hour on busier days.

Approximately 90 percent of screening mammograms are reported as negative or benign, with no further imaging needed, Dr. Sanders says, but if you’re among the 10 percent who require additional testing, the

Center’s technical staff will expedite your needs so that you receive additional mammographic imaging—and an ultrasound if necessary—on the same day. This service is available to all patients at the ACC Monday through Friday, but must be scheduled in specific time slots during the day. Another offering at The Breast Center at the ACC is Walk-In Wednesdays. Each Wednesday from 6:45 a.m. to 4 p.m., patients can walk in to have a screening mammogram at the ACC without an appointment. This initiative is another way that CBMC emphasizes preventive healthcare. Annual mammograms detect cancer earlier than a physical

exam, and earlier detection allows for less invasive treatment. “Screening mammography has been shown to reduce mortality from breast cancer,” says Dr. Sanders. “Catching breast cancer at an earlier stage lessens the extent of surgery required to remove it, and reduces the likelihood that chemotherapy and radiation will be required.” The Breast Center at Barnabas Health ACC is one of the largest breast centers in the United States. Performing more than 65,000 procedures annually, the center offers a comprehensive range of screening and diagnostic services, providing a high level of Linda Sanders, M.D. individualized care. The Center also recently opened its own dedicated breast MRI magnet exclusively for breast patients, allowing patients to enjoy the comforts of the beautiful renovated Breast Center for their MRIs, as well as mammography and ultrasound and biopsy procedures.

To schedule a mammogram at the Barnabas Health Ambulatory Care Center, go to rwjbh.org/mammo or call 973.322.7888.