Since it opened in 1993, the Center has provided women with the full range of diagnostic and treatment options for diseases of the breast, offered in a state-of-the-art facility staffed by caring, compassionate professionals.

The Women's Health Center is accredited by the American College of Radiologists and by the Food and Drug Administration law.

Many women are referred here by their physicians for their annual mammography. The Center also offers cancer education and instruction in self-examination (BSE) through video and breast model demonstrations. It offers Suffolk County's first stereotactic needle biopsy, a minimally invasive, non-surgical option for many women who have calcifications that cannot be felt.

The Women's Health Center, located on the main floor of the hospital, is open Monday through Friday, from 8:00 A.M. until 4:00 P.M. The appointments on Saturdays are 8:00 A.M. to 12 Noon. For more information or to schedule an appointment, please call (631) 351-2564.

WHAT IS MAMMOGRAPHY?

A mammography is an X-ray examination of the breast. It is the first and most effective way of detecting breast cancer in its earliest stages, often revealing lumps even before they can be felt.

On the day of your mammogram, you will be asked not to use deodorant on your underarms or powder on your breasts. These products may produce bright dots that resemble abnormalities on the sensitive mammography X-ray film.

If you have had previous mammograms at other facilities, it is important to bring those films and reports with you so that the radiologist can compare them with your current study.

The mammogram will be performed by a specially trained radiological technologist. You will be asked to disrobe from the waist up. The technologist will place your breast between two flat plastic surfaces attached to the mammography machine. Your breast will be compressed for a few seconds while the image is being taken. The technologist will take two views of each breast, one from the side and one from the top. Additional views may be taken in order to define the area of the breast more clearly. You may experience some discomfort while your breast is compressed. This lasts only a few moments and is necessary in order to achieve the best image with the least amount of radiation.

Your mammogram will be kept on file in the Women's Health Center for future comparison and reference.

Your mammography results are interpreted by a specially trained radiologist. At Huntington Hospital's Women's Health Center, you will learn the results of your mammography before you leave the Center.* The results are also forwarded to your personal physician.

Most mammograms are normal. In the event that an abnormality is detected, your options will be explained to you. In many cases, a non-surgical biopsy can be performed immediately. The Women's Health Center's staff tries to eliminate the anxiety-filled period of waiting. You should leave the Center armed with information and answers about your health.

It is important that you participate fully in your healthcare in order to make well-informed decisions. When speaking with your physician or any other healthcare practitioner, be sure to ask questions if there is something you do not understand. It is the philosophy of the Women's Health Center's staff that each woman is entitled to make the ultimate treatment decisions for herself. Feel free to discuss your care with any member of the Center's staff.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, call The Women's Health Center at Huntington Hospital at (631) 351-2564.

More information from the National Cancer Institute

*Women who schedule their mammographies during The Women's Health Center's convenient Saturday hours may be notified by telehone of their mammography results during normal business hours.