The Hendrick Radiology Center at Vera West Women's Center provides numerous screening and diagnostic services. Mammography and breast ultrasound allow for early detection of breast cancer. Special breast procedures, including stereotactic biopsy, an alternative to traditional surgical biopsy, are performed at the center. Bone density exams are performed to diagnose bone loss, a condition know as osteoporosis which places women at risk for fractures, pain and immobility. Pregnancy ultrasound to determine fetal progress also is performed at the center.

Testing is conducted by a staff of experienced, certified mammography and sonography technologists - women who are sensitive to their patients' needs and concerns. State-of-the-art equipment is used for all mammography, ultrasound and diagnostic studies. Schedule your mammogram online or call 325.670.4270. If you have questions regarding your mammogram, call 325.670.2600

The Latest Advances for the Best Care Possible
In December, 2006, Hendrick Medical Center introduced a major technological expansion to women’s services—the installation of digital mammography technology at Vera West Women’s Center, technology previously found only in larger cities like Dallas and Houston.

With this $1.3 million investment in women’s health, Vera West Women’s Center now offers state-of-the-art technology for the women of the Texas Midwest, better assisting in the early detection of breast cancer—the key to overcoming a disease that takes the lives of nearly 40,000 women each year.

What Is Digital Mammography?
Digital mammography uses computers and specially designed digital detectors to produce an image that can be displayed on a high-resolution computer monitor and transmitted and stored just like computer files.

From a patient’s point of view, having a digital mammogram is very much like having a conventional screen-film mammogram. Both film-based and digital mammography use compression and x-rays to create clear images of the inside of the breast. During all mammography exams, the technologist positions the patient to image the breast from different angles and compresses the breast with a paddle to obtain optimal image quality.

Unlike film-based mammography, digital mammograms produce images that appear on the technologist’s monitor in a matter of seconds. There is no waiting for film to develop, which can mean a shorter time spent in the breast imaging suite.

Advantages of Digital Mammography
 It provides improved visibility of the breast, particularly near the skinline, the chest wall, and in women with dense breast tissue.
 Images can be transmitted quickly across a network, easily stored, copied without any loss of information, and transmitted and received in a more streatmlined manner, eliminating dependence on only one set of “original” films.

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