Scheduling a yearly mammogram is an important tool in detecting breast cancer, but for women with dense breast tissue, an additional screening can help provide a more complete picture, according to OSF HealthCare Director of Medical Imaging Operations Blaine Clarke:
“ABUS stands for Automated Breast Ultrasound. It is an additional breast cancer screening option, specifically designed for women who have dense breast tissue. Dense tissue can make it more difficult to see certain abnormalities on mammograms. ABUS gives us another way to look at the breast tissue and potentially improve cancer detection that we may not have been able to see with other imaging,” informs Clarke.
“It is really important that women understand that we want the mammogram first. Mammograms continue to be the standard of care for breast cancer screenings. ABUS is a supplemental screening that may be recommended by the mammogram itself,” Clarke adds.
Mammograms are recommended once a year for those 40 and older. Locally at OSF Holy Family Medical Center in Monmouth, walk-in mammograms are offered on Wednesdays from 1 to 4 pm and the third Saturday of each month from 8 am to noon.
