St. Anthony's Memorial Hospital Services Women's Health Women's Wellness Center
Services St Anthony Patient Healthy Smile

Women's Wellness Center

HSHS St. Anthony’s Women’s Wellness Center combines the security of exceptional care with the comfort of caring individuals. We provide care to women from prevention, screening, and diagnosis to treatment and follow-up care in a consistent, compassionate and timely manner, led by Dr. Ruben Boyajian, Medical Director of Women’s Wellness and Cancer Care Services.

3D Mammography

 

A mammogram is an x-ray examination of the breast done in complete privacy by a specially-trained female technologist.

At our Women’s Wellness Center, we offer 3D mammography, which allows the radiologist to examine the breast tissue layer by layer. Instead of viewing all the complexities of breast tissue in a flat image (as with traditional 2D mammography), fine details are more visible and no longer hidden by the tissue above or below.

Extremely beneficial for patients with dense breasts (your doctor will be able to tell you if you have dense breasts).

3D Mammography offers these benefits:

  • 29% improvement in overall cancer detection.

  • Up to 40% reduced false positives.

  • Allows the radiologist to see masses and distortions associated with cancers significantly more clearly than conventional 2D.

  • Up to 40% reduction in recall rates (call backs) compared to 2D mammography.

Breast Biopsies

 

This procedure is performed to collect a sample of cells or tissue from the suspicious area for examination under a microscope by a pathologist. We offer several alternatives to surgery, which are faster and less painful, with fewer complications and less recovery time.  Please ask our Women’s Wellness Center staff for more information.
 

Stereotactic Breast Biopsy


Stereotactic Breast Biopsy offers women a faster and less painful alternative to surgery, with fewer complications and less recovery time. This procedure is performed to collect a sample of cells or tissue from the suspicious area for examination under a microscope by a pathologist.

Nurse Navigator

 

Women’s Wellness Nurse Navigator assists patients through diagnosis and education to help them make informed decisions about their breast care. The Nurse Navigator is there to provide education and emotional support.

Breast Care Boutique

 

After a Breast Cancer diagnosis, St. Anthony’s Women’s Wellness Center offers a full line of  mastectomy and lumpectomy products to meet every women’s needs.  We offer pre-surgical and post-surgical bras and prosthetic forms, as well as other products upon request.

Certified mastectomy fitters are available on-site to ensure that women obtain an appropriate and comfortable fit.

These products may be covered by insurance. Please call for an appointment at 217-347-1601 to discuss product options. 

HSHS St. Anthony's wants to make every patient's experience the very best possible. To provide increased care, comfort, and quality to mammography patients, the hospital has formed an Advisory Council lead by Dr. Ruben Boyajian, Medical Director of Women's Wellness and Breast Care Services at St. Anthony's. This multidisciplinary committee includes members of the medical staff, administration, Women's Wellness Nurse Navigator and a breast cancer survivor.

Resources

 

Look Good...Feel Better Program
American Cancer Society
Illinois Breast and Cervical Cancer Program

Ultrasound

 

Ultrasound of the breast is a tool used for diagnosis and confirmation of an abnormal mammogram. If an abnormality is detected on a mammogram and the Radiologist recommends an ultrasound, it can be done the very same day, if this fits the woman's schedule.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

 

MRIs show an increase or abnormal blood flow in the breast, which is a sign of early breast cancer. In concert with mammograms, MRIs are effective in detecting cancer in women with dense, non-fatty breasts.