How The MD Anderson Mobile Mammogram Works
Nick Bryant with HoustonCaseManagers.com here and in this guide I’m going to tell you about the MD Anderson Mobile Mammogram van.
After reading this guide you’ll know the following about the Mobile Mammogram van:
- What the Mobile Mammogram does
- Where to find the van in Houston
- Who is eligible for services
- Signs that you need a breast exam
- The difference between a diagnostic mammogram, ultra sound and biopsy
- What a mobile mammogram costs
Let’s start the guide off by learning what exactly the Mobile Mammogram van does.
What is MD Anderson Mobile Mammography?
Mobile Mammography is an MD Anderson program that that provides clinical breast exams to women all over Houston.
Exams are performed inside MD Anderson’s 42-foot Mobile Mammogram van.
Where Can I Find the MD Anderson Mobile Mammography Van?
The Mobile Mammogram van does not park at one address, instead it travels to and from free/income based clinics throughout Houston.
Who Is Eligible For A Mammogram?
Here are the requirements for eligibility:
- No diagnosis of breast cancer
- Must be 35 years or older
- At least 1 years since your last mammogram
- Not pregnant or breast feeding
- No implants
- No breast issues such as a lump or discharge from nipple
- Able to climb stairs in van
- Patients with unilateral mastectomy or lumpectomy and are 5 -years cancer free
- Have seen gynecologist, primary care or internist within the last year and willing to accept screening results
To be eligible for a mobile mammogram you must NOT have a diagnosis of breast cancer.
The Mobile Mammogram van only performs breast exams, they do not provide treatment.
What Signs Indicate A Need For A Breast Exam?
The following are all signs that you should have a breast exam peformed:
- A lump
- Breast pain
- Nipple discharge
- Thickening of skin on the breast
- Changes in the size or shape of the breast
How Does The MD Anderson Mobile Mammogram Process Work?
There are two ways to obtain a breat exam via the MD Anderson Mobile Mammogram van.
- You must belong to a clinic that has requested the Mobile Mammogram van
- Schedule an appointment in the month of October
How to schedule an MD Anderson Mombile Mammogram appointment
See them at your clinic
The first way to receive a breast exam via the Mobile Mammogram van is to obtain a referral from your primary care doctor.
Local clinics like El Centro de Corazon and others schedule monthly visits for the Mobile Mammgram van to come to their clinic. The van will park outside the clinic and patients will hop aboard the van and receive a mammogram done on the spot.
Schedule an appointment in October
If you do not belong to a primary clinic that the Mobile Mammogram van visits you can call them in October for an exam.
The Mobile Mammogram is ONLY open to the public in the month of October. To schedule an appointment during this time you must call 713.745.4000.
In either case our clinical breast exam will take about 30 minutes. After your exam is completed you will receive your results via mail in 7 to 14 days.
What happens after I complete my exam?
After completing your exam you should wait 7 – 14 days for your test results. Depending on your result you will need to do one of the following.
Negative breast exam results
If your results are negative, you don’t have to do any more testing for the moment. According to Web MD, you are however encouraged to have a clinical breast exam completed every 1 – 3 years.
Positive breast exam results
If your results indicate any potential problems MD Anderson or your clinic will refer you to a local clinic to have more testing done.
Depending on your exam results you could have any of these follow up testings done:
Diagnostic Mammogram
A diagnostic mammogram will be similar to the initial mammogram, although this test requires more detailed x-rays. Your radiologist will likely take more x-rays from different angles and possibly zoom in on specific areas where they notice abnormalities.
Note: It is more difficult to make a breast cancer diagnosis on women younger than 50. The reason being is younger women have more dense breast tissure, which makes it more difficult to spot a tumor.
Ultra Sound
An ultra sound is another method that is used to detect abnormalities in the breast. This procedure uses sound waves to creat images of the breast. Ulta sounds sometimes produce false positive test results. If this occurs the next step is typically a biopsy.
Biopsy
In this procedure a small sample of breast tisure is removed for testing. After removal the breast tissue is then tested for abnormalities.
Note: If you receive a letter reccommending further follow ups it is important that you do so as soon as possible. Failure to following up in a timely manner can result in your MD Anderson or your clinic not paying for future testings. In addition to this if there is a serious issue you could be putting your health at risk.
If there is a problem after these tests
Should any of the above procedures indicate an abnormality, either MD Anderson or your primary clinic will help you to determine whether surgery or further treatments are needed.
Is There A Cost For The Mamogram?
If you have health insurance, your insurance provider should cover most of a mammogram.
If you are uninsured the cost of a mammogram is $156.
Where Can I Learn More About MD Anderson Mobile Mammography?
For more information regarding the MD Anderson Mobile Mammogram van you can visit the hospital’s website or call the program at 713.745.4000.
Conclusion
Houston is a S P R A W L I N G city.
Add the 5 o’clock gridlock to the mix and its easy to understand why we’d rather drive straight home as opposed to going to a routine medical appointment.
MD Anderson hears your frustrations and which is why they are literally meeting you in the middle with their Mobile Mammogram van.
If you haven’t had a mammogram in years and want to know if the MD Anderson van is an option simply call your clinic to learn if they are partnered with the Mobile Mammogram van.
If your clinic doesn’t partner with MD Anderson simply call the Mobile Mammogram van (713.745.4000) in October when they are open to the public.
Do you know of any free or low cost mammogram testing clinics? If so let others know in the comment section below.
Nick Bryant is the author of Understanding Healthcare Is Half The Battle and a Senior Counselor with 13+ years of experience working in community health and mental health. He enjoys spending time with his family, watching WWE on Friday nights, and working toward a Google Data Analytics certification. If you have additional questions about community resources or government assistance programs, simply leave a comment below and he will follow up as soon as possible.
