The answer to this question relates to who is looking at your mammograms.  In the best places, the radiologist specializes in breast imaging, and that is all that he or she looks at day after day.  As you can imagine, these specialists develop a keen, eagle like ability to see small abnormalities that others might not recognize.  This ability to see subtleties in breast imaging takes years to acquire.  Such specialization allows these physicians to practice in breast centers, and offer early detection services to the women in the community.

The National Consortium of Breast Centers recognizes these breast centers as the optimal way to screen for breast disease.  If you visit the website www.breastcare.org you can read about the activities of such breast centers across the United States.  You will learn there are different levels of breast center services available to you.

The word dedicated means that these specially trained physicians are only performing studies on women’s breasts.  They are not examining bones, kidneys or lungs like other radiologists do in most places.  These physicians also participate in weekly conferences where surgeons, pathologists and medical and radiation oncologists meet to discuss newly diagnosed women with breast disease problems.  One woman at a time is discussed and her options for treatment reviewed.  Such meetings improve communication amongst treating physicians and the direct beneficiary is you, the patient.

For more information on dedicated breast radiologists, please visit the guest article written by my colleague, Dr. Stephen Rose.  It is located in the Guest Commentary section.