WITH
National Women’s Health
Week kicking o this Mother’s
Day, there’s no better time to let the
women you love know that you’d
like them to stick around as long as
possible.
One way to make sure that
happens: Encourage them to speak
to their doctors about getting
screened for breast cancer.
“
Breast cancer is one of the most
deadly cancers among women
between 40 and 59 years old,”
said Monica Berlin, Simi Valley
Hospital’s director of Diagnostic
Imaging and Outpatient Services.
“
Early detection is an important
way to ght back, since breast
cancer is most easily treated in its
early stages.”
The American Cancer Society
recommends that women receive
screening mammograms and
physical breast examinations
every year, beginning at age 40.
Mammograms are an excellent way
to detect breast cancer, especially
in its early stages when tumors are
too small to produce a lump that
can be felt.
Clinical breast exams should
also be part of regular visits to
health care providers. ese exams
Taking a
closer look
can help women learn the unique
characteristics of their own breasts,
which can increase the e ectiveness
of breast self-exams, another tool for
early detection.
Prevent, detect and treat
Simi Valley Hospital’s Nancy
Reagan Breast Center, named
in honor of former first lady
and breast cancer survivor
Nancy Reagan, is devoted to
LONG LASTING
the prevention, detection and
treatment of breast disease through
quality, compassionate care and
service.
The Center uses digital
mammograms to record X-ray
images of the breast using a
computer, making each image
available immediately for review
6
q
your health
In addition to mammograms to screen
for breast cancer, Simi Valley Hospital’s
Diagnostic Imaging Department o ers
a variety of other tools that enable
physicians to look inside the body.
Here’s a brief overview of those tools
and their capabilities:
X-rays
.
Diagnostic radiology, also
known as X-ray, makes radiographic
pictures of the head, spine, abdomen,
arms and legs. The most widely
used imaging technology, X-rays
are especially useful for seeing
inside the chest and for diagnosing
broken bones. X-ray pictures look
like negatives, with the dense areas—
such as bone—appearing white. The
images are interpreted by a radiologist,
a physician who specializes in detecting
abnormalities in internal structures.
Fluoroscopy
.
Fluoroscopy is a
specialized type of X-ray that uses a liquid
substance called a contrast medium,
such as barium, to help with diagnostic
evaluation. These X-rays are displayed
on a computer monitor that enables the
physician to watch the patient’s organs
function in real time. Fluoroscopy is often
used to examine the gastrointestinal
tract, including the esophagus, stomach,
small intestine and colon.
Ultrasound.
Ultrasound is a type
of medical imaging that uses sound
waves similar to radar to visualize the