Women's care

Women's health in Los Angeles

West Hills Hospital and Medical Center is dedicated to women’s bone and breast health. Our Women's Diagnostic Center provides a full range of women’s imaging services in West Hills, California.

To schedule an appointment at our Women’s Diagnostic Center, please call (855) 500-6674.

Excellence in women's care

In all stages of life, our hospital and healthcare providers are here for you every step of the way. Whether you need a bone density test or a breast screening, our physicians and nurses are expertly trained to offer high-quality service in women’s medical care.

Our range of women’s service include:

• Breast health
• Bone density
• Heart health
• Pelvic health
• Gynecologic oncology
• Gynecologic urology

Breast health

The Women’s Diagnostic Center is accredited by the American College of Radiology (ACR) and is staffed by highly trained, clinical mammographers. Patients who need further care have direct access to imaging services at West Hills Hospital.

Breast screenings and imaging

With free parking, extended office hours and compassionate staff, our breast imaging center is a resource for women in the San Fernando Valley and surrounding areas. We offer specialized services, including:

Mammograms in Los Angeles

A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray examination of the breast. A screening mammography is typically done on patients who do not have any symptoms. The goal of the screening mammography is to detect breast cancer when it is still too small to be felt by touch. Early detection of breast cancer is key to providing the most successful treatment.

Screening mammography usually involves two views of each breast. Diagnostic mammography may be performed when a woman has a breast complaint, such as a breast mass or nipple discharge, or has had an abnormality found during a screening mammogram.

Annual screening mammography is recommended for all women 40 years old and older. Based on a woman's medical and family history, it may be recommended that annual mammogram screenings begin at an earlier age.

3D mammograms

Our diagnostic center offers breast tomosynthesis, also known as 3D mammography, This new technology provides better screening and diagnostic performance than traditional mammograms, increasing the chance of early detection of breast cancer. In addition to providing a more detailed scan of the breast, 3D mammograms also offer more comfort to patients.

R2 computer-assisted detection

If you have breast cancer, knowing it as soon as possible can make all the difference. Our R2 computer-assisted detection (R2CAD) system acts as a "second pair of eyes" for the radiologist, and it often finds cancers earlier by digitizing and analyzing mammograms for potential areas of abnormality.

This breakthrough technology allows you to get a second opinion without a second procedure. It dramatically improves the detection of breast cancer earlier, which can save your life.

Ductography

A ductography is typically performed when a woman has a normal mammogram but is still experiencing nipple discharge. With this X-ray technique, a thin tube is placed into the duct opening through the nipple. A small amount of contrast medium is injected, which outlines the shape of the duct on the X-ray and will show if there is a mass inside the duct.

Breast ultrasound

A breast ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to visualize the breast. Breast ultrasound is most commonly used to evaluate breast abnormalities that are found at screening or diagnostic mammograms or during a physical exam. Breast ultrasound can also be helpful in analyzing some lumps that can be felt, but are difficult to see on a mammogram, especially in the dense breasts of young women.

Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration

A biopsy is needed when mammography raises a significant suspicion of cancer. Ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration uses a very thin needle to remove fluid and tiny fragments of tissue from the breast. The needle is precisely guided to the correct location via ultrasound.

Ultrasound-guided core biopsies

This technique uses a slightly larger, hollow needle to remove a cylindrical piece of tissue from the breast. The needle is guided to the correct location via ultrasound. Local anesthesia is used and no stitches are needed.

Stereotactic core breast biopsies

Using stereotactic guidance (X-rays from two angles), the radiologist locates the area of concern in the breast. The radiologist injects local anesthesia and inserts a probe through a small incision in the breast. Through a surgical vacuum, the probe draws tissue into a hollow chamber. The exam takes about an hour to complete, and the patient goes home with a small, adhesive strip over the incision.

Bone Density

Until recently, osteoporosis (bone loss) was often undiagnosed until a fracture occurred. Diagnostic imaging technologies offered in our Women's Diagnostic Center can help detect osteoporosis before fractures occur.

DEXA scan

With the development of the dual-energy X-Ray absorptiometry (DEXA) scan, early diagnosis of osteoporosis is possible. This 10-minute scan uses minimal radiation — less than 1/20 of a chest X-ray — to determine the bone density of the spine, hip or wrist.

Gynecologic urology

Gynecologic urology, also known as urogynecology, can help women who suffer from incontinence issues, among other problems pertaining to the pelvic floor, reproductive organs and bladder. Our women's clinic offers minimally invasive procedures and surgery for:

• Bladder incontinence
• Inability to urinate and obstruction
• Pelvic reconstructive surgery
• Prolapsed pelvic organs
• Prolapsed uterus and vagina

Thyroid, pelvic and abdominal ultrasound

Our women’s health imaging center also offers thyroid, pelvic and abdominal ultrasounds for diagnostic purposes. This non-invasive imaging method uses high-frequency sound waves to visualize the thyroid, pelvic and abdominal area.

Heart attack symptoms in women

The warning signs for men and women are different. Women are more likely than men to experience shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting and back or jaw pain. In fact, about a third of women experience no chest pain at all when having a heart attack and 71 percent of women report flu-like symptoms for two weeks to a month prior to having more acute chest discomfort or severe shortness of breath.

Patient stories