MedLink Health Connections Podcast

Early Detection Saves Lives: A Conversation About Mammograms

• MedLink Georgia • Season 1 • Episode 19

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October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and we’re sitting down with Dona Miller, a mammogram technologist at MedLink Georgia, to talk about the importance of mammograms, what to expect during the process, and how early detection can save lives.

Dona helps clear up common myths, explains when to start screenings, and shares tips to make the experience more comfortable. Whether it’s your first mammogram or a reminder to schedule your next one, this episode is all about empowering you with knowledge and easing any fears.

Schedule your mammogram at MedLink Winder Imaging in Winder or MedLink Banks Imaging in Commerce by calling 706-521-4967.

SPEAKER_00:

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Friends. And today we're joined by Donna Miller, one of our amazing mammogram techs here at Medlink, Georgia. She's going to walk us through why mammograms are so important, what to expect during the process, and how they save lives. Donna, would you start by introducing yourself, maybe sharing how long you've been in the field and what you love about the work you do?

SPEAKER_01:

Thanks for having me. Um I am Donna Miller. I work here at Medlink Banks Imaging, doing the mammograms. Uh I have I have been doing mammograms for 21 years now and have been an X-ray technologist for over 30. I'm originally um from South Georgia and moved up here to be able to do imaging. And I love to do the mammograms. I meet great patients. I love the connections that we get, and I always like to have a good time with my patients. I like the connection that we have.

SPEAKER_00:

That's wonderful. Let's dive into the why. Why are mammograms so important for women's health?

SPEAKER_01:

They're important uh to be able to find breast cancer at the smallest size that we can so that it you for treatments it reduces the amount of treatments that you have. The smaller we find, the less chance of having major surgery or even uh lots of chemo or radiation. It helps cut down on those things.

SPEAKER_00:

Awesome. And are there any common myths or misconceptions about mammograms that you'd like to clear up right away?

SPEAKER_01:

Yes, there are. It's no longer that you need mammograms just because you have family history. We're finding more and more people with no family history are actually getting diagnosed with breast cancer. There's a couple of other things with the 3D that we do nowadays. Our machines do 3D and the old way, which was called 2D. So you're getting twice the amount of pictures for the radiologist to read. And the radiation level is very low. It's almost considered comparing it to riding in an airplane for two to three hours. You get more radiation doing that than the mammograms.

SPEAKER_00:

That makes a lot of sense. So let's talk about the who at what age should someone start getting regular mammograms?

SPEAKER_01:

If there's no history being your mother or sister, then you would start on a normal routine at 40. We still recommend it. The American College of Radiology still recommends every year. And again, it goes back to if we're doing it every year, then if we can find something, we're finding it at the smallest that we could possibly find it, meaning better outcomes and easier treatment pattern uh paths.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. And if you do have family history, how often should someone get screened then?

SPEAKER_01:

The only thing that changes with family history is we look at the mother or a sister, and normally it's the mother that you look at. If your mom was diagnosed at the age of 35, you would start at 25. So it's 10 years prior to when your mother was diagnosed. If it's a grandmother, an aunt, anything like that, you can still wait until you're 40 and start every year from there on.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay, let's shift to the actual experience. Can you walk us through what happens during a mammogram step by step so patients know what to expect?

SPEAKER_01:

Um, once you come back, we have you change from the waist up, taking those clothes off. We also make sure you don't have any deodorant. Deodorant can show up on our pictures like little white dots and raises flags for our radiologists who are the ones who read our exams. And we don't want to raise any flags that we don't need to. We would then have we can only do imaging on one breast at a time. We can't put them both up there at the same time to be able to do our images. We lay you on a flat surface, the breast on a flat surface, and we do have a paddle that comes down. We ask that you let us know if you're having any pain, tugging, just to try to keep everything no more than uncomfortable for you. Our paddles now on the manogram machines now flex a little bit so it does give with your breast when we're doing the compression. We'll get you compressed in the position that we need you. We go behind, we take the pictures. You'll see the top of the machine move from one side to the other and then back to the middle. When it's moving back and forth, that's when it's doing the 3D images. And when it comes back up to the top and it's just straight on, then that's when it's doing the 2D image. And then we submit the whole thing to the radiologist. We have to get at least two pictures on each side. And whenever we do our pictures, we always have to look and make sure it meets all these requirements. If they do, then we can submit them to the radiologist. If not, then we'll repeat and get what we miss so that we make sure everything is covered.

SPEAKER_00:

Oh, okay. I know a lot of people do worry about that discomfort feeling. So could you describe how it feels and if there is anything patients can do to make it easier?

SPEAKER_01:

Um, it is a it is a probably something that once you've had it done, you know that it's uncomfortable. It's just a weird exam to have done because no one, I tease my patients, no one goes around squeezing your breast like this, not even yourself. So in saying that, it is a it's odd to have it done. I don't know that I could truly describe it. The best thing I can say for patients, if you normally have tender breast, usually about once a month, or just in general, and you drink a lot of caffeine, cutting back on that caffeine for about a week before you have your mammogram will help the discomfort as well. Good advice.

SPEAKER_00:

How long does the average appointment usually take from start to finish?

SPEAKER_01:

Getting you back from the dressing from the waiting room and back out to the waiting room, if everything just goes really easy, which it normally does, then it's about a 20-minute exam. You're only in the room maybe 10 minutes, 10 to 12 minutes to actually get the imaging done.

SPEAKER_00:

Okay. And how soon after you're done do patients usually get their results?

SPEAKER_01:

If a patient has priors, we'll have to get those. So that kind of factors into when our results turnaround. If it's a baseline or you've had it here with us before, then we can have it back to your doctors in 24 to 48 hours. If we have to get priors, then we request those. You don't have to worry about that. So that doesn't need to be a concern of not getting coming to us to have your mammograms done. But we would request those. And once we get those, it'll be a 24 to 48 hour turnaround once those come in.

SPEAKER_00:

If the radiologist sees something unusual, what happens next?

SPEAKER_01:

And a radiologist sees something that raises a flag. We would then call you and let you know what the radiologist is recommending. Two of the things that they would recommend is extra imaging under mammogram. It's not because we didn't get what they need. Now they want to get in a specific area so it's more detailed in the area that the radiologist saw a flag. The other option that they can do is not only the mammogram images, but ultrasound is also used to pinpoint those areas to see if what they're seeing is actually fluid or solid areas that they're looking at, meaning a cyst and lymph node, or is it truly something to be concerned about?

SPEAKER_00:

So with results, are false alarms kind of common and how should patients handle them emotionally?

SPEAKER_01:

The false alarms, uh, it could we could see something on the mammogram that is like a sister and lymph node, but if we didn't see it on your priors, or this is your new one, your first one, those do raise flags. So going in knowing that no matter what we see, one we can't determine what it is, we need help determining that. It's not unusual. For every thousand patients we do, we get about 15 back saying that we need extra imaging. So it's not a high rate. But remember, just because we saw something on the or the radiologist saw something on the images does not mean they automatically thought it was bad. That's why we have to do the extra imaging to see if you need to go to the next step.

SPEAKER_00:

Here's a question for you that might surprise people. Do men ever need mammograms?

SPEAKER_01:

We do mammograms on men. Majority of the time it's because they feel a lump. Okay. And we would do imaging, we would do a mammogram, extra pictures on them, and then they would get an ultrasound. In my years of doing mammogram, I do have been with patients who have had brothers who have had breast cancer. So they have to get a screening done every year just as if it was their mother. Oh wow. Okay. So there are a few times where they're just not as common.

SPEAKER_00:

Every October we see a big push for mammograms, but some people still delay getting them. What are the most common reasons for putting it off, and how can we help address those fears?

SPEAKER_01:

A lot of them always fear that it's going to hurt so much. With in the old days, it really did hurt. But with the technology changes and company, mammogram companies are really trying to make it more tolerable for all the patients. I think the biggest thing they can remember is to tell the technologist that it's hurting. Try not to grin and bear it. The other is people think that, well, I don't have family history, so I'm okay to delay it. And that's the worst thing you can do because we're finding out, as I said before, we're diagnosing a lot of people who have never had family history.

SPEAKER_00:

And how can friends or family encourage their loved ones to keep up with regular screenings?

SPEAKER_01:

Women like to help each other out, especially when you're related, friends. Um, I think the best suggestion I can give is make it a whole time that you get to do together. If you if both people are of age, like friends or even a mother-daughter, we have that happen. Come together, have it done. Afterwards, go out for lunch or go down the road and go shopping. Make it an event that you get to do together, because it's always great to you know be in misery together.

SPEAKER_00:

Yeah, that's it.

SPEAKER_01:

It gives them something to look forward to afterwards. And there's that becomes a bonding moment, whether it's friends or family.

SPEAKER_00:

I love that idea of making it a bonding experience. So before we wrap up, if you could tell every listener one thing about mammograms, what would it be?

SPEAKER_01:

I think my best thing is don't delay. Um, they're not as bad as they used to be. And just come in with a smile for your tech, your technologists, and it makes the whole atmosphere better.

SPEAKER_00:

Thank you so much for joining us today. I hope this conversation helps our listeners feel more comfortable and confident about scheduling their mammogram. If you are ready to make your appointment, Medlink offers imaging services at two convenient locations, Medlink Winder Imaging in Winder, Georgia, and Medlink Banks Imaging in Commerce, Georgia. You can call us at 706-521-4967 to schedule. We accept most major insurance plans and we're here to make the process as easy as possible. Remember, early detection saves lives. Thank you for tuning in to the Medlink Health Connections podcast. We hope you found today's episode informative and inspiring. If you enjoyed the show, please subscribe, rate, and leave a review on your favorite podcast platform. Remember, the information shared in this podcast is for educational purposes only and should not replace professional medical advice. Always consult with your healthcare provider for any medical concerns. Stay connected with us on social media and visit our website at medlinkga.org for more resources and updates. Until next time, stay healthy and take care.