Mammography Services

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AIS has partnered with Dr. James Snider, from the Boston Breast Diagnostic Center (BBDC), to provide an outstanding breast imaging service at our state-of-the-art facility located in Quincy, MA.

Digital mammography is a mammography system in which the X-ray film is replaced by solid-state detectors that convert X-rays into electrical signals. These detectors are similar to those found in digital cameras. The electrical signals are used to produce images of the breast that can be seen on a computer screen or printed on special film similar to conventional mammograms. From the patient's point of view, having a digital mammogram is essentially the same as having a conventional film screen mammogram. 

At AIS, all mammograms are read with the assistance of computer-aided detection (CAD), which uses a digitized mammographic image that can be obtained from a digitally acquired mammogram. The computer software then searches for abnormal areas of density, mass, or calcification that may indicate the presence of cancer. The CAD system highlights these areas on the images, alerting the radiologist to the need for further analysis.

Tomosynthesis or “3D” mammography is a type of digital x-ray mammogram which creates 2D and 3D-like pictures of the breasts. This tool improves the ability of mammography to detect early breast cancers, and decreases the number of women “called back” for additional tests for findings that are not cancers.

The “3D” images reduce the overlap of breast tissue, and makes it possible for a radiologist to better see through your breast tissue on the mammogram.

 Breast ultrasound uses sound waves to make images of the breast. Breast ultrasound is non-invasive and is often used as a follow-up test after an abnormal finding on a screening mammogram, breast MRI or clinical breast exam.

If a needle biopsy is needed, breast ultrasound may be used to help guide the procedure.

 A breast biopsy is a procedure during which a small piece of your breast tissue is removed and examined for the presence of malignant cancer cells.  The radiologists takes a small sample of breast tissue for examination, which is then passed onto a pathologist, who studies the sample to determine whether cancer cells are present. If cancer is detected, a biopsy helps us identify any cancer spread and the stage of cancer.