Health Screenings

Regular mammograms - the only test proven to greatly reduce the rate of death from breast cancer - are key to finding breast cancer early, when the disease is most treatable.

As a national leader in the fight against breast cancer, Northside Hospital Cancer Institute supports the American College of Radiology (ACR) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) recommendation for annual mammograms beginning at age 40.

Some people should be screened with a breast MRI in addition to mammography because of their family history, a genetic mutation, benign breast disease or radiation therapy to the chest at a young age. Talk with your doctor about your personal and family history and whether you should have additional tests or should start screening for breast cancer at an earlier age.

Schedule a Screening Mammogram

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Call 404-851-6577 to schedule an appointment for a breast cancer screening at one of our imaging centers.

Screen Atlanta Mobile Mammography

A specially equipped van that offers screening mammograms at various locations throughout Georgia communities.

Screen Atlanta is certified by the American College of Radiology and meets the standards set forth by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and Mammography Quality Standards Act. Mammograms provided on the mobile unit are of the same high quality as those provided at our outpatient imaging locations. Each mammogram is performed by a Northside Hospital registered radiologic technologist (RRT), with advanced training and certification in mammography, and is interpreted by a board-certified radiologist, who has received advanced training in breast imaging.

Call 770-667-4400 to schedule an appointment with Screen Atlanta.

Breast Care Fund

For patients that cannot afford a mammogram, Northside can help with financial assistance through our Breast Care Fund. Generous grants from community partners such as the Northside Hospital Foundation and the Georgia Alliance for Breast Cancer, allow Northside to provide financial support for mammograms and breast diagnostic services for qualified applicants.

Details about the Breast Care Fund and eligibility requirements can be reviewed in the flyers below. For more information about the Breast Care Fund, please call 404-531-4444.

BREAST CANCER SCREENING ELIGIBILITY (ENGLISH)

BREAST CANCER SCREENING ELIGIBILITY (SPANISH)

Finding cervical cancer early increases the chance to treat is successfully. Northside Hospital Cancer Institute follows the guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce for checking for cervical cancer.

• For women ages 21 to 29, they recommend getting a Pap test every 3 years.
• For women ages 30 to 65, they recommend one of these options:
  • A Pap test every 3 years
  • A test for the HPV virus every 5 years
  • Both the Pap test and HPV test every 5 years

These tests help find problems early, before they become serious.

Cervical cancer screening tests include:

• Pap test (Pap smear) – A test that looks for cell changes in the cervix that may lead to cervical cancer. A gynecologist or primary care physician typically performs the test during a woman’s annual exam. Future Pap tests will be recommended based on a patient’s test results and age.
• HPV test – Testing of the cells obtained from the cervix during a pap test to look for HPV (human papillomavirus.) A large majority of cervical cancer is caused by HPV. This test may be an option for women age 30 and older, or for younger women with an abnormal Pap test.

A gynecologist or primary care physician can perform both screenings.

HPV Vaccine & Cervical Cancer Prevention

Human papilloma virus (HPV) causes most cases of cervical cancer. The HPV vaccine can prevent almost all of them. The vaccine is given over six months to males and females ages 9-26. Some adults ages 27-45 may benefit from HPV vaccination. Talk to a health care provider to learn more about the vaccine.

Colorectal cancer is highly preventable, even curable, when caught early. Regular screening for colorectal cancer detect polyps before they become cancerous.

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute follows the guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Taskforce and the American College of Gastroenterology (ACG) for screening for colorectal cancer.

• For average-risk persons begin at age 45. Average risk for screenings is defined as those with no symptoms of colorectal cancer, no personal or family history of colon polyps or colorectal cancer, and no personal history of inflammatory bowel disease, such as ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease.
• NHCI recommends colonoscopy screenings every 10 years if the results of a person’s colonoscopy were normal and no polyps were found.

People with a personal or family history of colon polyps or colorectal cancer, or a personal history of ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease should talk to their doctor about early screening.

DOWNLOAD OUR COMPARISON CHART OF COLORECTAL SCREENING TESTS

Although there is no guaranteed prevention against prostate cancer, regular prostate cancer screenings are key to finding it early, when the disease is most treatable.

A prostate cancer screening consists of a simple blood test to measure the amount of PSA (prostate-specific antigen) in the blood.

Beginning at age 40, men should discuss the pros and cons of a prostate cancer screening with a physician, especially if considered to be at higher risk for prostate cancer. Click on the button below to learn more about the benefits, risks and other frequently asked questions about PSA testing for prostate cancer.

PSA TESTING FOR PROSTATE CANCER FAQS (ENGLISH)

PSA TESTING FOR PROSTATE CANCER FAQS (SPANISH)

Community Prostate Cancer Screenings

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute (NHCI) holds multiple prostate cancer screenings (PSA blood tests) for community members each year at several convenient locations throughout Georgia.

Men who meet the following criteria are eligible to register and attend NHCI community prostate cancer screenings:

• Men who are between the ages of 45-75
• Men who do not have a prostate cancer diagnosis
• Men who have not had a PSA blood test within the past year

To register for an upcoming Northside Hospital community prostate cancer screening, please call 404-531-4444. Qualified interpreters are available to assist you at each screening event. Please inform registration staff members of your language preference.

View upcoming dates for our prostate cancer screening events on our Classes & Event Calendar.

PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING SCHEDULE (ENGLISH)

PROSTATE CANCER SCREENING SCHEDULE (SPANISH)

Men are encouraged to make an informed decision with their health care provider regarding the appropriateness of prostate cancer screening.

It is important for everyone to check their skin each month to look for the signs and symptoms of skin cancer. A mirror should be used and it is helpful to have someone help examine hard to see areas. If anything suspicious is noticed, it is important for people to contact their doctor or dermatologist. Download our easy-to-follow guide to help you remember what to look for during your monthly skin cancer self-exams.

SKIN CANCER SELF-EXAM GUIDE

In addition to monthly self-exams, you should also have an annual skin screening performed by your physician or dermatologist. Your doctor will check your skin and look at the size, shape, color and texture of any suspicious areas. If your doctor is concerned about the possibility of skin cancer or a melanoma, a biopsy will be performed to remove all or part of the affected area. If the biopsy confirms cancer, a more aggressive operation may be necessary.

Community Skin Cancer Screening Events

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute hosts multiple skin cancer screening events for community members (adults 18 years of age and older) each year. Screenings take place in a private setting and consist of a brief skin assessment by a medical professional. Typically, only skin exposed areas such as arms, hands, neck and feet are examined.

Skin cancer screenings are not intended to take the place of annual comprehensive skin examinations. For a more in-depth examination, please schedule an appointment with your dermatologist.

Northside Hospital’s skin cancer screenings are free, but registration is required. Please call 404-531-4444 to schedule an appointment or for more information, download our current Skin Cancer Screening Schedule below.

SKIN CANCER SCREENING SCHEDULE (ENGLISH)

SKIN CANCER SCREENING SCHEDULE (SPANISH)

There is no guaranteed prevention against lung cancer, but regular screenings are pivotal to early detection when the disease is most treatable.

A computer tomography (CT) is a non-invasive, painless procedure that uses low-dose X-rays to screen the lungs for cancer. Lung cancer screening using CT has become the national standard based on findings from clinical trials and other research-related publications. Organizations such as the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) have developed clinical practice guidelines for lung cancer screening within high-risk populations.

Northside Hospital Cancer Institute offers lung cancer screenings using CT at over 45 imaging locations throughout Georgia

For Medicare patients, physicians will use the following criteria to determine whether a patient should be screened.

For non-Medicare patients, similar criteria will most likely be used by insurance providers to determine eligibility. Patients must have a written order from a physician to receive a lung cancer screening using CT.

For questions regarding lung cancer screening using CT or to determine whether you meet eligibility criteria, please call the Northside Hospital Lung Cancer Screening Concierge Line at 404-531-4626.