Key takeaways:
With one in eight American women getting invasive breast cancer during their lives, it’s important to know the status of your breast health.
Research shows that education about breast health helps you make better decisions. Staying informed about the latest technology in breast cancer screening and breast imaging isn’t always easy.
This guide serves to not only help you find mammogram locations near you but also to inform and inspire you to take charge of your healthcare.
If you feel a lump in your breast, notice changes to your breast skin texture, nipple inversion, or nipple discharge, please make an appointment to see your doctor immediately. However, you don’t need to notice one of these changes to have a screening.
Please note: When it comes to guidelines, there are many and from various organizations. The following sections represent an attempt to provide the most inclusive guidelines available from respected and established sources.
According to the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), women with an average risk of developing breast cancer should get a biennial mammogram (every other year) from ages 50 through 74.
Women who are at least age 40 with an average risk of breast cancer should discuss the risks and benefits of getting a mammogram with their healthcare provider. Any decisions to have a mammogram for this age and risk group be made on an individual basis.
If you have certain risk factors, your healthcare provider may suggest mammograms earlier than advised above.
Keep in mind, the following factors don’t mean you will get breast cancer. However, according to the CDC, they do put you at a higher risk:
In addition to standard screening guidelines, guidelines from the American College of Radiology (ACR) address the fact that minority women, including Black women, are more likely to develop advanced stages of breast cancer at a younger age than Caucasian women. Some transgender men and women can also be at a high-risk for developing breast cancer.
Mammogram guidelines for different demographics can be complicated, and there isn’t a clear consensus on how often minority women and transgender men and women should receive mammograms or when they should begin mammograms.
The ACR offers new, expanded guidelines, which include:
Data from a Swedish study estimate that the expanded guidelines from the American College of Radiology may reduce breast cancer mortality by as much as 40%. This is because increased screenings may lead to earlier detection and less advanced cancers among all groups, including those listed above.
A conventional mammogram or breast tomosynthesis is a useful tool to screen for breast cancer. However, 10% to 12% of women in the United States are called in for more testing after a screening mammogram.
This is because dense breast tissue affects 50% of all women. Though it is not abnormal or cancer-causing, it does present difficulties with traditional mammogram imaging. Dense tissue may obscure breast cancer lesions, allowing them to grow unchecked. This leads to later diagnosis, larger or more advanced cancers, and poorer outcomes.
Traditional mammography produces two-dimensional images. 3D mammograms, also called digital breast tomosynthesis, may reduce callbacks, may find potential cancer earlier, and find lesions a 2D mammogram might have missed due to dense or overlapping breast tissue.
Unlike a traditional screening mammogram, an X-ray machine moves across the breast in an arch and takes images from multiple angles. A special computer program compiles the images to create a 3D model of your breasts.
Every imaging technique contains certain risks. 3D mammograms use low-dose X-ray technology. Sometimes, radiographers will perform both a traditional mammogram and a 3D mammogram at the same time. In this case, the radiation dose for a 3D mammogram may be higher than a standard mammogram alone.
Through a strategic partnership with top imaging centers across the United States, Ezra improves access to full body screenings at high-quality outpatient radiology centers. Ezra partner facilities offer services such as the Ezra Mammogram, the Ezra Full Body, and the Ezra Full Body Plus MRI scan services. Many offer personal touches such as Ezra-provided pajamas and slippers.
These are our current partner facilities. However, Ezra is rapidly expanding with the mission of bringing high-quality screening services to an imaging facility near you.
You can learn more about our facility partners here.
New York locations:
Midtown East
523 Park Avenue
New York, NY, 10065
Queens
55-01 Myrtle Ave
Ridgewood
New York, NY 11385
Upper East Side
61 East 77th Street
New York, NY, 10075
Ezra aims to be your partner in preventative cancer screenings by providing a seamless experience and friendly service. We make booking your mammogram fast and easy. In as few as five minutes, you can schedule your mammogram entirely online. There are just three steps:
1. Choose a mammogram location.
2. Select your date and time.
3. Enter your credit card to reserve the appointment.
Alternatively, if you prefer to speak to a friendly Ezra advisor, call us at (888) 402-3972 to ask us any questions or book over the phone.
You should be empowered to take charge of your healthcare and schedule your yearly mammogram when it is convenient for you. No primary care referral is needed for the Ezra Mammogram.
Our 3D mammogram screens for breast cancer and is recommended for all women age 40 and over.
Your mammogram includes a:
The self-pay cost is just $325, and payment plans are available. However, it’s common for insurance to cover mammograms for women.
Mammograms are commonly eligible for flexible spending accounts (FSA), health savings accounts (HSA), or your health reimbursement arrangement (HRA). Pay directly from your account using HSA and FSA dollars or use your account debit card at the imaging facility.
Digital mammography and other imaging techniques like breast MRI help radiologists find abnormalities. Start yearly screening mammography by age 40, or earlier if you’re at high risk. Routine scans can help you detect cancer, when it’s more treatable.
Access to care is also essential. That’s why Ezra offers 3D mammograms and other imaging services. We make it easy to book online, and you can schedule an appointment without a primary care referral.
