First Person: Diagnostic Mammography Discovered My Breast Cancer

On November 10, 2011, my life changed forever when I heard the words no woman wants to hear--"you have breast cancer." My doctor told me the news over the phone and said that we would discuss everything in detail at my follow-up appointment. The news came as a huge shock. I sat down and bawled like a baby.

Diagnostic Mammogram

My fight with breast cancer began when my OBGYN ordered a diagnostic mammogram to investigate a large lump I discovered in my left breast and referred me to a surgeon. Diagnostic mammography is more involved than mammography for yearly screenings. Multiple views are taken and the radiologist will want to see enhanced views of the area where the lump is detected.

Digital mammography was done at the Mercy Breast Center. My surgeon was able to pull the images up on his computer screen when I arrived at his office. The appointment was immediately following the mammography.

I signed in at the Mercy Breast Center and was taken to a changing room. They asked me to to remove my shirt and bra. I was provided with a cloth cover-up to wear. My belongings were secured in a locker. I kept the key and wore it around my wrist. You can wear jewelry if it does not interfere with the images.

I found the mammography to be uncomfortable, but not painful. Stickers are used to mark your nipples--I find this weird. Moles and scars are marked with stickers to make sure that they are not mistaken for abnormalities in your breast.

A nurse took me to one of the rooms where they performed digital mammography. Many images were taken. I was standing for the entire time. Some of the views were taken of my breast in a horizontal position and others squished them in a vertical position. Close-up images of my left breast were taken.

You are in control as to how much compression is exerted on your breast by the machines. The attendant will adjust the pressure until you tell them to stop. If you have large breasts it can take a little bit to get the entire breast into a single view. Several attempts were made before they got an acceptable image of the breast tissue near my arm-pit and chest wall.

When the radiologist was satisfied that enough images were done, I was escorted to the women's-only lounge where coffee, tea, TV and magazines were available to entertain you while you waited.

Ultrasound

The radiologist wanted to see ultrasound images. If you have ever had an ultrasound during pregnancy it is the same thing, only on your breasts. They use warmed up gel and they take images of both breasts. You can see the images on the screen as the technician performs the ultrasound. To me, the images looked very foreign--almost like closeup images of the surface of the moon.

One hour at the Mercy Breast Center changed my life forever. The combined images indicated two areas with tight clusters of microcalcifications in my left breast. My husband and I sat down and discussed the images with the radiologist. He recommended a biopsy of the areas to my surgeon.

My war with infiltrating ductal carcinoma has begun. I am still at the stage where they are gathering information to help me decide on a course of breast cancer treatment. Sometimes, I am not sure which is worse--the slew of doctor visits, lab work and radiology, or waiting to find out exactly what I am up against.