Compression prevents motion which can degrade the mammograms similar to the way motion can ruin photographs. Compression also spreads out the breast tissue which aids in finding small breast cancers. There are other technical reasons, related to the physics of mammography machines, which require compression. Suffice it to say that compression is essential for acquiring high quality mammograms.

Your doctor will usually have the official typed report within 3-4 days. If your mammogram has a significant finding, requiring further evaluation, you will be called by our office to schedule the necessary additional examinations.

At Atlantic Medical Imaging all of our machines are state-of-the-art and comply with the high standards established in the Mammography Quality Standard Act (MQSA).

The radiation dose is small. Every effort is made to limit the amount of radiation exposure a patient receives. Our machines are checked yearly by our physicists.

Calcium is found normally in bones, and in other areas of the body. Tiny deposits of calcium are commonly found in women?s breast and are called calcifications. Most calcifications are benign and can be safely ignored. Some calcifications are suspicious and will require a biopsy. Our radiologists are expert at identifying benign calcifications and at deciding which should be biopsied.

At Atlantic Medical Imaging every radiologist that reads your mammogram is board-certified, and has years of experience in mammography. Our radiologists have trained at some of the most prestigious universities in the country. After training our radiologists are equipped with the skills to accurately read mammograms; however, we pride ourselves on continuously improving our skills through medical conferences and reading mammography literature.