A team of three full time female board certified radiologists are dedicated to making a difference in the management of breast health. They are supported by their colleagues in medical and surgical oncology as well as those in pathology to ensure that each woman has access to the expertise of the team making a definitive breast diagnosis. The nurse conducting the breast exams within the breast center has had specific training in clinical breast examinations. The breast center's certified technicians perform mammograms and assist in various technical procedures. They are highly trained and participate in educational forums to keep them up to date on new procedures and techniques. The teaching fellowship program adds to the academic setting and serves to integrate education and clinical research into the overall program.

The Mount Sinai Comprehensive Breast Center has the most technologically advanced stereotactic machine and breast biopsy equipment available today to perform mammography, ultrasound and specialized breast biopsy procedures. A high quality mammogram can detect breast cancer at its earliest and most curable stage. A clinical breast exam coupled with a mammogram and, if needed, an ultrasound as well as instruction in breast self exam makes early detection a realistic goal. As a full service breast center, the Mount Sinai Comprehensive Breast Program offers the following diagnostic services:

Fine Needle Aspiration - A needle no wider than what is typically used to give an injection is inserted into the lump (tumor) and a few to thousands of cells are drawn up (aspirated) into a syringe. These are smeared onto a slide, stained and examined under a microscope by a pathologist. A diagnosis can often be rendered in a few minutes.

Ultrasound Guided Biopsies - Using the ultrasound machine to locate the precise area of concern a needle is inserted into the breast and a small sample of tissue is extracted and analyzed by pathology and or radiology.

Stereotactic Core Biopsies - Mammographic guidance is used on a prone table to biopsy mammographic abnormalities with a vacuum assisted biopsy needle, the Mammotome.

Cyst Aspirations - The removal of accumulated fluid in the breast using a small needle.

Surgical Biopsy - The removal of breast tissue for pathology analysis by a surgeon in an operative setting.

Ductograms - The analysis of the breast ducts by the insertion of a catheter into the nipple and the instillation of a dye into the catheter followed by a mammogram which can enable the radiologists to determine if the ducts are normal in appearance and function.

Sentinel Node Injection Technique - To identify in the analysis of the lymph node in closest proximity to a tumor to ascertain which specific nodal basin the tumor drains to and if there is any evidence of disease. This node predicts the status of the reminder of the axilla.

Second Opinion Consultation (including tissue/slide review) - The objective analysis of pathology materials and diagnostic images by an independent reviewer to confirm a diagnosis rendered by another physician.

Individualized comprehensive treatment offers women in-depth information regarding breast health and breast disease. The Center is actively involved in clinical trials and new research studies. These studies enable us to offer women the most progressive treatment options available in South Florida.

Because the management of breast health involves many disciplines, the breast center collaborates regularly with other professionals of the Cancer Center in order to give a comprehensive diagnosis, treatment plan and follow up. The following list and definitions may help you to better understand our approach.

Multidisciplinary Team - medical, surgical and radiation oncologists, radiologists, pathologists, nurses, support staff, residents and interns make up the team of professionals who are involved in designing a patient specific approach to the treatment of a specific malignancy.

Weekly Pre-Treatment Planning Conference - a meeting of the multidisciplinary team who collectively review new and relapsed patient cases including pathology findings and diagnostic results to collaborate on treatment options and potential clinical trials available to the patient. These conferences ideally occur before a patient is started on treatment to ensure that the patients clinical, surgical and research options are fully explored before treatment begins.

Medical Oncology Services - oncologists trained in the diagnosis and management of malignancies using chemotherapy, biologic therapy, gene therapy and clinical research etc. as well as other approaches to manage the toxicity of therapy.

Radiation Oncology Services - oncologists trained in the use of radiation therapy, radiation seed implants, and other investigational techniques to deliver doses of radiation to malignant tumors and to areas of the body that may be at risk due to proximity to or invasion of the malignancy.

Surgical Oncology Services - surgeons trained in the diagnosis and surgical removal of malignancies as well as the surgical repair of areas where malignancies once existed

Complete Staging Evaluation - the evaluation of the degree of invasion of a malignancy which may include the area of the primary tumor, the tissues and organs that are in close proximity to the primary tumor as well as the assessment of all other major organs including skin and bone for involvement of tumor.

Complete Prognostic Testing - the review of factors that contribute to the knowledge about a certain malignancy, for example in the diagnosis of breast cancer the physician will review tumor size, the extent of tumor invasion to the lymph nodes and other structures, the presence of growth factors, the analysis of the tumors, DNA, etc., all which give a better indication of how the tumor will act.

Case Management - medical insurance carriers will review the case with the physician's office to estimate the degree of care a patient is entitled to based on diagnosis.

Patient and Family Education and Support - services and resources in place to assist patients and families and caregivers. Our support personnel provide education on specific cancer treatment options, coping mechanisms, and additional information on issues which patients and families go through while living with cancer.

Individual, Couple and Group Counseling - special sessions with psychologists and social workers designed to meet the emotional needs of individuals with cancer.

Hereditary, Environmental and Behavioral Cancer Risk Counseling - the analysis of genetic risk by blood analysis (BRCA1 and 2) and the evaluation of breast cancer risk by review of family history, medical history, surgical history, and other factors is available. These factors are analyzed to determine if a woman is eligible to participate in cancer prevention trials and/or other interventions designed to reduce risk.

Access to Innovative Clinical Research Studies - state-of-the-art clinical trials are available including prevention trials for individuals at high risk for cancer. Participation in other clinical trials is available at the Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center through the Mount Sinai Community Clinical Oncology Program (CCOP). Access to the newest therapies, otherwise not available outside the context of a clinical trial, is available in most disease settings.