Breast Health
Stay on top of your health. Access all the breast wellness services you need at the Billings Clinic Reger Family Center for Breast Health. Choose us for your screening mammogram or another breast imaging test.
A Comfortable Breast Imaging Experience
Our friendly, dedicated team helps you remain calm and comfortable for your breast imaging appointment. The Reger Family Center for Breast Health’s spa-like setting, private changing rooms, and warm capes will help reduce stress.
High-Risk Breast Clinic
Provides world-class care to women with an elevated risk of developing breast cancer. You should consider being evaluated at the High-Risk Breast Clinic if:
- You have dense breast tissue
- You have a strong family history of breast cancer
- You or a family member have been diagnosed with a genetic mutation associated with an increased risk of breast cancer, such as the BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes
Staying Ahead of Breast Cancer
The most effective way to detect early signs of breast cancer is through:
Breast Nurse Navigator
Rely on your breast nurse navigator as a resource. They can answer your questions and inform you about the warning signs of a breast problem. Some common signs include:
Mammograms Find Breast Cancer Early
Along with routine breast exams, mammograms are one of the best ways to find breast cancer. When you catch breast cancer early, it’s easier to treat, and you have a better chance of beating it.
Screening Mammogram Guidelines
You should get a screening mammogram every year starting at age 40. Keep getting yearly mammograms unless your doctor recommends a different schedule.
3D Mammography Technology
The advanced digital mammography equipment at Billings Clinic creates and uses:
- Clear images with fewer repeat scans
- Computer-aided detection (CAD) that acts as a second opinion for accuracy
- 3D mammography (tomosynthesis) that shows fine details that other tests might miss
Free Women’s Screenings
Free screening mammograms are available at Billings Clinic for uninsured and underinsured women.
What You Should Know About 3D Mammography
The benefits of 3D mammography include:
- It detects 41% more invasive breast cancers early
- Shows breast masses and distortions more clearly
- Reveals fine details that might be hidden in flat 2D images
- Reduces follow-up imaging by 15-30%
A 3D mammogram suits all breast densities and uses very low X-ray energy. This makes it a safe, effective test for finding breast cancer.
Your experience will be similar to a standard mammogram. The technologist will position and compress your breasts and take images from different angles.
MammoPad Comfort
You can ask your technologist for a MammoPad during your mammogram. This foam cushion improves your comfort during a mammogram. It creates a soft, warmer surface between you and the machine and still allows for high-quality images.
Finding Mammography & Breast Imaging Services
You can find mammography and breast imaging services at:
Types of Breast Imaging
Risk Assessment Calculator
Estimate your likelihood of developing breast cancer using our risk assessment tool.
Calculate Your Risk
There are different types of breast imaging that your doctor may use besides mammography to check for breast problems. Each type has benefits. Your doctor will guide you on which one is best for you.
Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)
If you're at high risk of breast cancer, you might need a breast MRI. However, you should still get your yearly mammogram. An MRI works best as an addition, not a replacement, because it might miss cancers that a mammogram can find.
If you've been diagnosed with breast cancer, your doctor will decide if you need a breast MRI. Not every breast cancer diagnosis requires an MRI, though.
Abbreviated Breast (AB-MRI)
Abbreviated breast MRI is an extra screening tool used along with mammography to detect more early-stage breast cancers. This shortened exam typically takes 10-15 minutes to complete. Abbreviated breast MRI is an exam for women with:
Most health insurance doesn’t cover AB-MRI and may not cover a standard breast MRI. AB-MRI is $495 and is only available at Billings Clinic Downtown. It’s an affordable alternative when your insurance won’t cover a standard breast MRI. You must pay for it when you have the test.
Breast Ultrasound
Ultrasound is a safe and painless test that uses sound waves to see inside your breast. Your sonographer will move a device called a transducer over your breast to create images.
You might need a breast ultrasound if you or your doctor feel a lump or if you feel pain in your breast. Your doctor might also recommend an ultrasound to check something unusual that shows up on your mammogram.
Image-Guided Core Needle Biopsy
When your mammogram shows something unusual, you’ll get either a core needle biopsy (breast biopsy) or an immediate referral to a Billings Clinic surgeon for a surgical biopsy.
During the core needle biopsy, your doctor will take a small tissue sample from the abnormal area. A pathologist examines the samples under a microscope to determine if you have a cancerous or noncancerous breast condition.
Test Results
Your primary care provider will receive screening or diagnostic procedure reports from the Breast Center to add to your health history and electronic medical record.
Breast Imaging Center of Excellence
Expect the best possible care since the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers, administered by the American College of Surgeons, has given Billings Clinic full accreditation for commitment to the highest quality breast care.
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