There are very few medical procedures without risks – but a standard diagnostic ultrasound poses no known risk to humans. Ultrasound is a radiation-free procedure Unlike X-rays, ultrasounds don’t emit radiation. An ultrasound scan – also known as sonography – uses high-frequency sound waves to create an image inside the body. The resulting image is...
We know that screening mammograms detect breast cancer in its earliest stages when it’s still treatable. However, in women with dense breasts, breast cancer can be harder to detect. So what happens when your mammography report indicates that you have dense breast tissue – and why does it matter? Breast density can only be determined...
Are you a woman? If so, then yes, you need a mammogram. Simply being born with two X chromosomes puts you at ‘average risk’ for breast cancer – and that risk only increases with age. 1 in 8 women will get breast cancer over an 80-year lifespan. The American College of Radiology (ACR) recommends that...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is in full swing. There are fundraisers galore, online and in-person events of all kind, and everything on social media seems to have a pink hue. Perhaps you’ve donated your time or plan to attend a breast cancer awareness event – and that’s great! Taking tangible action to promote awareness is...
Breast Cancer Awareness Month is less than two weeks away. What can you do to make it meaningful? Sure, you can pin a pink ribbon on your lapel, or share Instagram memes with breast cancer statistics. But do you honestly know anyone who isn’t ‘aware’ of breast cancer? We have enough breast cancer awareness. We...
A study published in the February 11th issue of Cancer estimates that up to 600,000 lives have been saved by mammography since 1989. Researchers tracked 1990-2015 U.S. data on breast cancer deaths, along with general data, on women aged 40 to 84. They found that between 305,000 and 483,000 breast cancer deaths were prevented during...
The Senographe Pristina was created for women, by women. Claire Goodliffe – marketing director for women’s health at GE Healthcare -set out to ‘humanize mammography’ after research indicated that as many as 40 percent of women skipped breast cancer screening due to fear, anxiety and discomfort surrounding mammograms. She and her colleagues gathered data from...
Self-care saves lives. Entire months are set aside for diseases, social issues, and everything else under the sun – including mustaches and bird feeding. Yet only one day of the entire year is dedicated to mothers. And it’s already over. The mother who ‘lives for her family’ is lauded as a paradigm of perfection, while...
Did you know that May is Osteoporosis Awareness Month? What is osteoporosis? Osteoporosis is a disease that severely weakens bones, leading to reduced bone density, and frequent fractures. While it is most common in post-menopausal women it can also affect men, and even children. Osteoporosis means “porous bone”. Osteoporosis: Major risk factors A woman’s...
If you’ve never had a mammogram you might not know that mammography and deodorant don’t mix. Bergen’s mini-guide to mammography will tell you what else you need to know before you go! Mammography and deodorant don’t mix. Most deodorants and antiperspirants contain aluminum which shows up on mammograms as little white spots. Unfortunately, these spots...
