Women's health experts recommend that women with no breast symptoms or genetic predispositions start screening mammograms at the age of 40 and repeat them annually (every 12 months). For women with a family history of breast cancer, it is recommended to start annual screening mammograms at the age of 35. Clinical research shows that early and routine screening mammograms starting at the age of 40 have reduced breast cancer mortality rate by 40% when compared to late and infrequent examinations. Most insurance plans cover annual screening mammograms at 100% with no physician referral needed.

Your screening mammogram will be performed by a mammography-certified, female technologist who will explain the study before getting started. Most appointments take less than 20 minutes to complete. After you check-in, you will be escorted to a private dressing room. You will be asked to undress from the waist up and wear a gown that opens up in the front. You will also need to remove any jewelry or metal objects, which can distort the image results. During the appointment, the technologist will position each breast against the 3D unit. Your breast tissue will be compressed briefly, which may cause some discomfort. The compression of the breast tissue helps ensure that the entire area of the breast can be examined.

To prepare for a screening 3D mammogram, here are some recommendations to follow:

• To minimize discomfort, schedule your mammogram during the two weeks following your menstrual cycle, when your breast are least tender.
• Please arrive 15 minutes before your scheduled appointment time.
• Avoid wearing tight-fitting or one-piece clothing. Comfortable, loose-fitting clothes that are easy to remove from the waist up are preferred. Don't wear deodorant, perfume, or lotion on your upper body on the day of your appointment. These products can show up on your results and skew the quality of the images being captured.
• If you've had prior mammograms, breast ultrasounds, or breast MRIs at an imaging center other than South Jersey Radiology, you will be asked to provide contact information for the center so we can obtain these records before your appointment. Prior records help our board-certified, subspecialized radiologists identify any changes that have occurred over time. If you would like South Jersey Radiology Associates to request these records on your behalf, please reach out to one of our patient service representatives at 1.888.909.7572.

For more information, please view our patient forms and guides here.

During a screening 3D mammogram, you are exposed to a very minimal amount of radiation. At South Jersey Radiology, our screening 3D mammograms are compliant with Image Wisely's safe imaging guidelines and utilize low-dose technology.

Our patients at South Jersey Radiology can access their mammography results via our secure patient portal. If you are signed up for our patient portal, your screening 3D mammogram will be posted to your portal within 2 days of your study. If you do not have access to our patient portal, please reach out to one of our patient service representatives at 1.888.909.7572. Your mammography results will be sent to your primary physician as well within 2 days of your study. Your primary physician may upload your results to their healthcare patient portal and allow you access within 7 – 10 days.

Although screening 3D mammograms reduce the need for additional imaging, callbacks are not uncommon. A callback means that additional information is required to confirm that an area of breast tissue is not a concern and is not breast cancer. If this is your first mammogram, additional imaging may be needed to establish a proper baseline for future screening appointments.

Under the Affordable Care Act, health insurance providers are required to cover the full cost of an annual screening 2D mammogram. In the case of annual screening 3D mammograms, the full cost may not be covered by certain health insurance providers. This largely depends on which state you live in and what health insurance plan you have.

As of August 1st, 2018, New Jersey state law requires health insurance companies to provide coverage for 3D mammograms in women 40 and over with no deductible, coinsurance, or other cost-sharing methods. However, certain out-of-state, federal, and employer insurance plans set up as “self-funded” may not have to comply with state insurance regulations.