Screening vs. Diagnostic mammogram?

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Veryhopeful
Veryhopeful Member Posts: 35
edited June 2014 in Life After Breast Cancer
Screening vs. Diagnostic mammogram?
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  • Veryhopeful
    Veryhopeful Member Posts: 35
    edited August 2009

    I'm 6 years out, having had IDC.  I've always had the diagnostic mammos since I was diagnosed with cancer.  The hospital where I have the mammo would not let me book my mammo appointment.  They require the doctor's office to do this.  I don't go to the cancer center any more so the receptionist at my gyn's office booked it.  She booked it for a screening mammo.  The reason I just found this out is because I received my mammo "reminder of appointment" in the mail today.  Now.....being 6 years out, am I supposed to start getting screening mammos or should I continue to get diagnostic?  A tech once told me I should always have diagnostic because I've had BC.  Maybe the receptionist just screwed up?  I certainly want the best mammo for my medical history.

    Thanks.

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  • abbadoodles
    abbadoodles Member Posts: 2,618
    edited August 2009

    At my med center they order diagnostic mammo for anyone with history of bc.  I really don't know what the difference is except maybe an insurance classification.

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  • candie1971
    candie1971 Member Posts: 4,820
    edited August 2009

    according to my insurance company...history of bc doesn't warrant a diagnostic mammo..only feeling a lump does. so for the 3rd year in a row my PCP puts..feels a lump. The radiology center where I have the mammo done says that the ins company will catch on soon and not pay for it.

    idiots they are!!

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited August 2009

    I am 6.5 years out and still get diagnostic mammos.   I detest this thing about the doc having to sign (read: secretary has a stamp with his signature and uses it) for tests.  Now, how many people do you think want to just walk in and have procedures done--uh, yeah, let's get together and all go have gall bladder or lower bowel studies today.  LOL

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  • denverSue
    denverSue Member Posts: 14
    edited August 2009

    It was probably just an omission or mixup. What a hassle. I'm about three years out and almost every time I make the mammo appointment there is some sort of hassle about the diagnostic screening. Last time someone told me there really isn't much difference between the diagnostic ans screening mammos (since the center went all digital). OK, then why is my doctor so insistent about it and why are you hassling me about it?

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  • roseg
    roseg Member Posts: 3,133
    edited August 2009

    I just went through this with my GYN.

     There is nothing worse than a screwed up mammogram and a call back so I'd keep asking for the diagnostic. You can always whine about how anxious the whole process makes you and how you need the diagnostic and see if that will work. One thing that I've often wished during my bc journey was the ability to cry on demand. I've always felt it would be a useful (if manipulative) skill to have.

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  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Member Posts: 1,376
    edited August 2009

    the breast care center that I go to said the difference between a diagnostic mammo and a screening mammo is that a radiologist reads a diagnostic one immediately and gives you the results right away, while  a screening one takes up to 5 days to get results. She said once diagnosed with bc, you will have diagnostic mammos from now on.

    Anne

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  • dreaming
    dreaming Member Posts: 473
    edited August 2009

    A couple of years ACS advised and the insurances were delighted that if one was I think 6 years from diagnosis one gets a screening mammogram and not a diagnostic, I saw a sign with this when I went for my mammogram, I found out that many times your doctor has to request it, it depends on the facility, I get always a diagnostic , one with the new machine.

    I suggest that if you get a screening one to give in writing that if they miss something it will be on their heads or get your doctor to request.

    It is a disgrace what we have to go through

    15+ survivor.

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  • ginger2345
    ginger2345 Member Posts: 517
    edited August 2009

    In our rad depts there's just a little difference between "screening" and "diagnostic" mammos.

    1) The tech takes a couple more views of the affected breast. It's harder to read the early mammos post treatment because of the surgical/radiation changes. That difficulty clears with time. That said, my mammos are now "screening" but they still take a couple extra views of the affected breast.

    2) The diagnostic mammos are scheduled at a time when the rad reads them right away and the patient knows the result before leaving the rad unit.

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  • pk0199
    pk0199 Member Posts: 586
    edited August 2009

    Please double check but where I work, once you have had BC, implants or 3 yrs post bx or surgery you are a diagnostic. There is no such thing as a screening mammo for a BC individual (again, this is where I am and that is in Canada, but to my knowledge, US follow the same protocol.) Screening is for those with no indication of any problem or concern. I have looked this up on a couple of different clinic sites in the states, and  their definitions were the same as ours. By the way, fibrocystic breasts (no BC) are not considered to be diagnostic unless there is a concern other than fibrocystic. If there is a new lump, then it would be diagnostic.

    Also, as stated above, diagnostics are almost always read or looked at while the patient is at the clinic and yes, insurance companies do get paid more.

    The basic images for a screening are the same as the basic images for diagnostic, however, most places will do additional views on a diagnostic such as a magnification view of the scar or some places will still do an image of the mastectomy scar (yes it is possible on some to do that)

    Hope I have helped.

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  • iodine
    iodine Member Posts: 4,289
    edited June 2010

    I have been led to believe that a diagnostic mammo involves more views and I seem to get more attention paid to placement of the machines than I did in the past. 

     Digital mammos are NOT demanded after diagnosis.  But, I believe diagnostic ones are.

    There are many sites that offer mammos that are not done digitally,' including my own local hospital and it's mammo satalite.  I go to a larger city for a digital mammo, And the instant reading by the rads doc.  It's routine at the breast ctr I go to, to have the results immediately (ok, with in 30 min.)

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