Schedule Your Screenings: Protect Your Health and Your Future

Schedule Your Screenings: Protect Your Health and Your Future

May is Women’s Health Awareness Month, a reminder that taking care of yourself is one of the most important things you can do for your future. Preventive care is not just about one appointment or one screening. It is about staying proactive, keeping up with annual physician visits, and making your overall health a priority at every stage of life.

At Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging (SDMI), we encourage women to stay current on all recommended health screenings and annual appointments, not just the services we provide. Mammograms, bone density screenings, wellness exams, heart health evaluations, gynecological care, and routine physician visits all play an important role in protecting your long-term health.

Preventive Screenings Can Save Lives

Many serious health conditions develop silently, without noticeable symptoms. Preventive screenings help detect problems early, when treatment is often more effective and outcomes are better.

Two important screenings women should discuss with their healthcare provider include:

• Annual Mammograms for breast cancer screening and early detection
• DEXA Bone Density Scans to evaluate bone health and screen for osteoporosis    

Preventive healthcare is about more than treating illness. It is about maintaining strength, mobility, confidence, and quality of life for years to come.

Mammograms Continue to Prove Their Value

Breast cancer remains one of the most common cancers affecting women, but research continues to reinforce the life-saving value of routine mammography screening.

A recent article published by The Imaging Wirehigh lighted new research showing that mammography screening not only helps detect cancer earlier, but also improves survival rates even in women diagnosed with advanced-stage disease.

The study followed more than 32,000 women through Denmark’s national screening program and found significant survival benefits for women whose breast cancer was detected through routine screening. According to the findings:

• Women with stage IV breast cancer whose cancer was found through screening had dramatically higher survival rates compared to women who were not screened.
• Ten-year survival rates were more than three times higher for women whose cancer was detected through mammography screening.
• Even women diagnosed with later-stage disease experienced better outcomes when cancer was identified through routine screening.

The takeaway is clear: early detection matters, and regular mammograms save lives.

Major healthcare organizations, including the American College of Radiology, continue to support annual screening mammograms beginning at age 40 for women at average risk because of their proven impact on reducing breast cancer mortality.

Understanding Your Personal Breast Cancer Risk

At SDMI, every mammogram includes a Tyrer-Cuzick (TC) Score at no additional cost. This personalized breast cancer risk assessment helps patients and physicians better understand individual risk factors based on genetics, family history, and overall health.

The TC Score is not a diagnosis, but it provides valuable information that can help guide conversations about additional screening or preventive care options if needed.

Our goal is to provide women with more information, more confidence, and more proactive tools to help manage their health.

Bone Health Is Women’s Health

Women’s health is about much more than breast health. Bone health becomes increasingly important with age, especially after menopause. Osteoporosis often develops without symptoms until a fracture occurs, making early screening especially valuable.

A DEXA bone density scan can help:

• Detect early bone loss
• Assess fracture risk
• Support treatment and lifestyle decisions
• Help maintain long-term mobility and independence

Taking care of your bones today can help protect your health and quality of life in the future.

A Reminder to Prioritize Your Whole Health

Women often spend so much time caring for others that they delay caring for themselves. This Women’s Health Awareness Month, make your health a priority.

Schedule your annual screenings. Keep your physician appointments. Stay current on preventive care. Encourage the women in your life to do the same.

At SDMI, we are honored to be part of your healthcare journey and remain committed to supporting our community through compassion and cutting edge technology. Most importantly, we encourage every woman to stay proactive about her overall health all year long.

Your health matters. Your future matters. And the small steps you take today can make a lasting difference tomorrow.

Sources & References:

• The Imaging Wire: “Mammo Screening Saves Lives – Even in Late-Stage Cancer”
• American College of Radiology: Screening Mammography and Mortality Reduction
• Susan G. Komen Foundation: Mammography Benefits and Risks

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