PAMF Breast Imaging Services

On the leading edge of healthcare, the Palo Alto Medical Foundation offers state-of-the-art digital mammography services in facilities that meet the highest standards of excellence in breast imaging.

When you reach 40, digital mammograms are an important part of breast care and preventive breast cancer screening for women, and we understand that exams must be as convenient, private and comfortable as possible. Digital mammograms offer a wide range of benefits over traditional film-based radiology, including:

• Shorter exam times
• Faster results
• Can be manipulated for better clarity and visibility
• Lower average radiation dosage
• Easy to store (electronically)
• Easier second opinions

PAMF mammography facilities offer private consultation rooms and convenient appointment times, including extended hours in many facilities. All of PAMF’s digital mammography centers are certified as “Breast Imaging Centers of Excellence” by the American College of Radiology.

PAMF's digital mammography facilities are located at Palo Alto, Fremont, Dublin, Mountain View, Los Altos, San Carlos and Santa Cruz.

Digital Breast Tomosynthesis Mammography

Depending on your symptoms, your family history and the density of your breasts, PAMF breast imaging experts can use a combination of imaging technologies to screen for and diagnose breast abnormalities. Mammography is the foundation of breast cancer screening, but we offer many other additional imaging technologies to assess breast health, including 3D digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT). This tool can reveal the inner structure of the breast, showing fine details unobstructed by surrounding tissue. As a result, tumors can be found in an earlier stage. DBT is particularly helpful for women with dense breast tissue or those with a high risk of breast cancer.

Digital Mammography

Mammography can detect early breast cancer when it is more likely to be cured. Some organizations recommend annual or biannual mammograms starting at age 40; others recommend starting at age 50. If you’ve had a mother or sister who had breast cancer at a younger age, you should consider yearly mammograms starting at an earlier age.

Breast MRI

Lying face down on the MRI table, you will be advanced into a donut-shaped spinning gantry that contains a large super-conducting magnet. Better suited to the imaging of tissue, the test may be used to evaluate a lump that is not seen on a mammogram, screen high-risk women or check for possible breast implant rupture.

Breast Ultrasound (BUS)

Ultrasound gel and a wand called a transducer are placed directly on the skin to generate—and collect—sound waves, producing images of the structures inside the breast. Ultrasounds may be used for women with dense breasts or a family history of breast cancer, those whose lump cannot be seen on a mammogram, or in the event of pregnancy to avoid the use of radiation. It also can distinguish between cysts and tumors.

Breast Biopsy

If imaging confirms that cancer is suspected, a biopsy of your breast lump will be taken using a needle under guidance of ultrasound or breast MRI, or using mammography and a special stereotactic breast biopsy machine to guide the needle.

Positron Emission Mammography (PEM)

PEM is a nuclear imaging procedure customized for the breast that visualizes the rapid metabolism associated with cancer. PEM enables the radiologist to assess the presence and extent of disease when MRI is not appropriate due to a pacemaker or aneurysm clip.

Scintimammography

Also known as molecular breast imaging or breast specific gamma imaging, scintimammography uses a nuclear camera and the injection of a small amount of radioactive material to detect molecular activity in your tumor and help your radiologist determine whether a biopsy is necessary.