Services
The Bronson Center for Women offers:
- State-of-the-art breast health care
- Bone health
- Midlife consultation services
- Educational programs
Breast Health
One of the best ways to detect breast cancer is with a mammogram. Mammograms use low-dose X-rays to look at breast tissue.
Bronson's Center for Women offers complete mammography services and fast results. In fact, we will send your results to your doctor within 24 hours. We always have a dedicated mammography radiologist (a doctor who specializes in interpreting mammograms) on site. If a problem is suspected, the doctor can give feedback or order more tests right away.
For your convenience, we will collect your previous films before you arrive so the radiologist can compare them with your new mammogram.
Our center offers the latest technologies, including
- Computer-aided detection system
- Breast ultrasound
- Breast MRI
- Stereotactic biopsy
- Breast ultrasound biopsies
What to expect from your mammography appointment
- You will change into a soft robe in a private dressing area. Your valuables will be secured in a locker.
- Our breast health educator will show you to a special waiting area, stocked with beverages and educational materials.
- During your mammogram, our technologist will tell you what to expect and make you as comfortable as possible.
- A breast health educator will meet with you to answer your questions. With a model breast, she will teach you the proper way to perform a Breast Self-Exam.
Bone Health
The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends bone mineral density (BMD) tests as the best way to screen for osteoporosis (bone loss). If the BMD shows that you have osteoporosis, you can get medical treatments that can help slow further bone loss.
We have the most accurate and reliable equipment for detecting bone loss: DEXA (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) Bone Density technology.
What to expect from your bone density screening
- DEXA is a very precise test with low radiation exposure. It measures the areas at highest risk for fracture, such as the hip and spine.
- To get DEXA, you lie on your back and do not need to remove your clothing. The test is painless and takes 10 to 20 minutes.
Other Bone Health Services
In addition to the DEXA Bone Density testing, we provide osteoporosis education and counseling. A health educator can give you information on how to prevent bone loss and tell you how to detect a decrease in bone density.
You can also have nutrition counseling to assess your diet and plan ways to improve your intake of calcium and Vitamin D.
Consultation and Counseling
We offer consultation services to help women maintain and improve their health in all phases of life. We offer help in a variety of areas:
- Menopause
- Heart Health
- Nutrition
- Incontinence
- Osteoporosis
Sessions are held in a private, nurturing setting with fully accredited professionals. One-hour and 30-minute appointments are available.
Resource and Education Center
You can drop in our resource center at any time-no appointment necessary. We offer a range of resources about women's health concerns:
- Books, newsletters, magazines and videotapes
- Internet access, and help with Internet searches
We also offer educational programs, including customized programs for community groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who should get mammograms? How often?
The American Cancer Society recommends the following guidelines:
- Breast Self-Exam (BSE) beginning at age 20
- A clinical breast exam by a healthcare provider every three years for women 20 - 39.
- For women at 40 and older, a yearly clinical breast exam by a healthcare provider and a yearly mammogram.
- Women at increased risk should ask their healthcare providers these questions:
- Should I start mammograms earlier?
- Should I have more frequent exams?
- Do I need additional tests, such as breast ultrasound or breast MRI?
Who is at increased risk for developing breast cancer?
You may be at increased risk if you are older, have a history of breast cancer in a first-degree relative (mother, sister or daughter), are Caucasian or carry BRCA genes.
Talk with your healthcare provider if you have any of these risk factors.
Who should get a BMD test?
- All women age 65 and older, regardless of risk factors
- Postmenopausal women who have one or more of the following risk factors:
- Small frame or low body weight (less than 127 pounds)
- Inactive lifestyle
- Cigarette smoking
- Estrogen deficiency
- Lifetime of low calcium intake
- Alcoholism
- All postmenopausal women who have had a fracture
If you have any of these risk factors, talk with your healthcare provider about your bone density.
