If you’re unable to stand, or need additional support during your appointment, please book your appointment from Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. so that we can better assist you.
Mammography uses a low-dose X-ray system to examine breasts. A mammogram helps in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women. Oak Valley Health offers the latest in digital mammography equipment. We use a specially-designed digital camera and a computer to produce an image that is displayed on a high-resolution computer monitor.
Markham Stouffville Hospital also has the latest technology – breast tomosynthesis. During the tomosynthesis scan, multiple low-dose images of the breast are acquired at different angles. These images are then used to produce a series of one millimeter-thick slices that can be viewed as a 3D reconstruction of the breast. Tomosynthesis is used for some women – those with previous breast cancer, with new breast concerns, women who are called back for extra imaging, and those who have a high breast density according to the Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP).
Your mammogram imaging will be done by a friendly and professional female registered medical radiation technologist. Your procedure will be reported by a radiologist who specializes in interpreting the results of medical imaging exams.
To have a mammogram, your doctor needs to fill out a referral form.
Learn more about making an appointment and coming to our hospitals.
Diagnostic Mammography
Diagnostic mammography is used to evaluate a patient with abnormal clinical findings—such as a breast lump or lumps—that have been found by the woman or their doctor.
Screening Mammography
Screening mammography plays an important part in early detection of breast cancers. It is the best screening test for most women. Women aged 50 to 74 are encouraged to have a mammogram every two years to detect changes in breast tissue that are too small to feel or see.
Regular screening mammograms can find cancer when it is small, which means there is better chance of treating the cancer successfully, it is less likely to spread, and there may be more treatment options. Screening mammograms could save your life.
What is the Ontario Breast Screening Program?
Oak Valley Health is an Ontario Breast Screening Program (OBSP) partners. OBSP is an organized breast cancer screening program that is funded by the Ministry of Health and Long Term Care and managed by Cancer Care Ontario. The OBSP offers important advantages for women and their primary care providers, including scheduling of all screening appointments, sending recall and result letters to women, and arranging follow-up services for women with results that show they need more tests.
The OBSP Program does not require a requisition from your doctor.
Women who are screened for breast cancer within an organized screening program like the OBSP further benefit by participating in a program that undergoes ongoing quality assurance, program monitoring, and evaluation to ensure that its clients receive high-quality screening. In addition, all OBSP sites are accredited with the Canadian Association of Radiologists Mammography Accreditation Program.
Oak Valley Health is accredited with CAR (Canadian Association of Radiologists).
The Mammography department also works in conjunction with our Breast Health Centre.