Breast Center Services
Screening Services
Diagnostic Services
- Diagnostic mammography
- Breast Ultrasound
- Breast MRI
- Ductography
- Stereotactic Core Biopsy
- Ultrasound Guided Core Biopsy & Fine Needle Aspiration
- Pre-op Needle Localization
- Cytopathologist specializing is breast pathology
- Outside Film Review
Treatment Services
About Osteoporosis & Dexa Bone Density Testing
Osteoporosis is a silent, progressive disease characterized by decreased bone density and increased bone fragility— the consequences of which lead to high susceptibility to fractures.
Who is at risk?
Women are at the greatest risk. One in two women over the age of 50 has osteoporosis, yet nearly 80% remain undiagnosed because symptoms do not occur until much bone strength is lost. And conventional X-rays don’t reveal the disease until 40 to 60% of a bone's mineral content is gone. Men and women lose bone strength as they grow older, but women have higher risk for osteoporosis because they frequently have smaller, thinner frames. The risk for women increases greatly following menopause, with the decrease in bone-protecting estrogen.
Risk factors for osteoporosis include:
- Advanced age
- History of bone fractures
- Small, thin frame
- Family history of osteoporosis
- Early menopause
- Low calcium diet
- Lack of exercise
- History of eating disorders
- Certain medicines (such as steroids or anticonvulsants)
- Alcohol and tobacco use
The MemorialCare Breast Center at Orange Coast offers bone densitometry, or Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). Using small amounts of x-ray to measure the amount of bone mineral in your spine, hip or entire body, DEXA is a convenient and painless test that enables our staff to identify whether you are at risk for fracture— providing accurate bone density results within just a few minutes.
DEXA compares your bone mineral density (BMD) to that of a "young adult" at peak bone strength. It also compares your results to people of your same age group. This information, along with other factors, helps your physician assess your risk of osteoporotic fracture. DEXA is also useful in following bone changes over time. It can monitor the effects of age, diet and/or medications and treatments on your bone status.
What does the test involve?
The bone densitometer has a large, padded examination table. You will be asked to lie on your back, wearing your own clothing in most cases. The technician positions your arms and legs for the test; then, you simply lie still and breathe normally. A radiologist interprets your scan and sends a written report to your physician.
Is DEXA safe?
X-rays are used, but the amount absorbed by the patient is only about 1/10th of that received during a chest x-ray. The x-ray dose from DEXA is comparable to the naturally occurring environmental radiation that you are exposed to in one week.*
If you would like to schedule a DEXA scan, please call 714-378-7955.
*Caution: Although the x-ray dose from the bone densiometry test is very low, you must inform the operator if you are pregnant or might be pregnant before your test.
Treatment Services
- Surgery – Our specialized breast surgeons are experts at performing breast-sparing surgeries. Watch a breast cancer surgery video.
Radiation Oncology –
utilizing MammoSite.
MammoSite is a minimally invasive radiation treatment performed postoperatively for early stage breast cancers. This treatment delivers high dose rate radiation therapy from the inside out, shortening radiation treatment time by up to 85 percent---from approximately seven weeks to one week. During a lumpectomy surgical procedure, a balloon catheter is inserted into the surgical site. Once the balloon is in place, a tiny radioactive seed attached to a wire is inserted into the balloon delivering precise computer controlled radiation to the target tissue and surrounding cavity that is most likely to experience recurrence. No source of radiation remains in the patient’s body between treatments or after the final procedure when the MammoSite balloon is deflated and removed.
Read more about MammoSite technology- Systemic – treatment including chemotherapy, biotherapy and hormone therapy.
