3D screening mammograms are the preferred type of exam at Texas Health Breast Centers. With a 3D mammogram, the machine takes images of the breast from multiple angles. A computer then creates a 3D image of the breast that the radiologist can examine like pages in a book. Additional benefits include:

• Improves radiologists' ability to screen for and detect potential breast cancers.
• Helps radiologists pinpoint size, shape and location of abnormalities.
• Aids in distinguishing harmless abnormalities from real tumors, leading to fewer callbacks and less anxiety for women.

3D mammograms can also find microcalcifications (tiny deposits of calcium) that sometimes indicate the presence of breast cancer.

Bone density testing is a simple, painless scan that measures the strength and thickness of your bones. It helps doctors find out if you have osteoporosis or are at risk for fractures.

During the test, you lie on a table while a low‑dose X‑ray machine (called a DEXA scanner) checks areas like your lower spine and hips. The scan only takes a few minutes and uses much less radiation than a standard X‑ray.

Bone density testing is commonly recommended for women after age 65, men after age 70, and for anyone with risk factors such as family history, certain medications, or previous fractures.

At times, mammography alone is not enough. Your provider may also request a breast ultrasound, or sonogram, which is a noninvasive procedure that uses sound waves to produce images of the breast.

Why Is this Additional Procedure Necessary?

Typically, a breast ultrasound is performed with a mammogram. A breast ultrasound can distinguish a generally harmless fluid-filled cyst from a potentially concerning solid mass. It is also used to evaluate whether a solid mass is benign or appears to be malignant.

What Happens during the Procedure?

You will lay on your back on a table, and a technologist will apply a warm water-based gel onto your breast. Then the technologist will move a device back and forth over the area of interest to take the sonogram pictures.

Typically, diagnostic mammograms are recommended for women who:

• Have experienced issues, such as lumps, nipple discharge or other changes.
• Experience persistent pain in their breasts, not related to menstrual cycle.
• Were diagnosed with breast cancer within the last five years.
• Experience a problem while pregnant or breastfeeding.

What Happens During a Diagnostic Exam?

A diagnostic mammogram may take longer than a screening mammogram. The technologist may magnify a suspicious area to produce a detailed picture that can help the radiologist make an accurate diagnosis. Before you leave the center, the radiologist will review the images and discuss the findings with you.