A new bill has been approved by the New York legislature which would require women to be notified in mammography reports if they have dense breast tissue, a common condition that makes it harder to diagnose breast cancer. Under the proposed legislation, the mammography reports would suggest to women with dense breast tissue that they speak with their physician about additional screenings, such as ultrasound or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The proposed bill is currently in the hands of Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who is reviewing it.
Earlier this year, the FDA approved 3-D breast tomosynthesis (known as 3-D mammography). "I think it'll help us with patients that have dense breast tissue," said Kristin Byrne, chief of breast imaging for New York's Lenox Hill Hospital, to the LA Times at the time of the approval. She speculated that 3-D imaging for breast cancer screening eventually will become standard.
ZPR radiologists routinely comment on the density of patients' breasts in reports and suggest additional imaging studies where appropriate. "Mammography is currently the gold standard screening test for detection of breast cancer, and has been shown to reduce the number of deaths due to breast cancer," said Rebecca Obedian, M.D., of Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology. "However, mammograms do not detect all breast cancers. Many studies have shown that supplementing mammography with an ultrasound (and in some cases with a breast MRI) can help to detect small breast cancers. This is especially helpful in patients with dense breasts. Making patients aware of their density status allows them to discuss further testing options with their physicians."
Health and Wellness information from Zwanger-Pesiri Radiology
Thursday, June 28, 2012
Friday, June 15, 2012
June is Men's Health Month
Men - This post is for you!
We interrupt discussing what a radiologist is and what they do to remind you that June is Men's Health Month! ZPR cares about men, but do you care about yourselves? A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study found that women are FAR more likely than men to seek medical attention. How much more likely? According to the study:
- Women are 100% more likely to seek preventative care than men. (Preventative care includes regular checkups and health screenings).
- The rate of doctor visits by women aged 15-44 was 56% more than men in the same age group.
- The overall rate of health care use among women, regardless of race, was 33% higher than men.
Guys - take control of your own health. Use some of the websites below to get information about men's health and about what screenings/diseases to be aware of!
Men's Health Resources:
- Men's Health Library
- WebMD - Men's Health
- Medline Plus - Men's Health
- National Institutes of Health - Men's Health
- Men's Health - Mayo Clinic
- Men's Health Center
- CDC - Men's Health
Monday, June 4, 2012
Is a radiologist a "real" doctor?
Is a radiologist actually a doctor?
You'd be surprised how often this question gets asked. The answer is a resounding YES! Radiologists are trained physicians, the same as cardiologists, pediatricians, urologists, and other doctors.
What does it take to become a radiologist?
Many, many years of education and training, including:
- Four years of college to get an undergraduate degree
- Four years of medical school
- One year internship
- Four years in a diagnostic radiology residency
- One to two years of advanced subspecialty training (a fellowship)
- Certified by the American Board of Radiology
Radiologists have four to six years of unique, post-medical school training in radiation safety to ensure optimal performance of radiological procedures and interpretation of medical images. Other medical specialties receive far less imaging education, ranging from a few days to a maximum of 10 months.
Radiologists are not just doctors, they are experts in diagnosing and treating disease and injury by using medical imaging techniques.
Stay tuned for our next blog post where we will explain exactly what radiologists do.