Mammography is Essential and Quality Matters with Dr. Janet Storella

Innovate and Elevate

On this episode of Innovate and Elevate, Sharon is joined by Dr. Janet Storella, Medical Director of Breastlink Maryland at RadNet. Dr. Storella is a breast imaging specialist and a board-certified diagnostic radiologist with over 40 years of radiology experience.

In this conversation, Dr. Storella shares deeper insight into the practice and art of mammography, contemporary issues in the field, spaces for improvement, and aspects of mammography where quality makes all the difference.

There are differing opinions on when women should start annual mammography screening, but Dr. Storella emphasizes that understanding one’s risk factors is key to determining when to start screening and collaborating on a personalized plan with their doctor. She highlights how diagnostic imaging centers are working on lowering barriers to compliance, particularly through strategic partnerships like RadNet’s with Walmart.

Dr. Storella shares that determining if a mammogram shows cancer can be extremely difficult because of the variable nature of breast tissue. She expands on her experiences using AI to interpret test results and the journey to convincing insurance companies to cover this impactful new practice. Even though mammograms are continuously critiqued by doctors and patients alike, Dr. Storella reminds us that ultimately mammograms save lives, help individuals detect cancer earlier, and are what we have available right now.

Finally, Dr. Storella explains the technical factors that contribute to high-quality breast imaging and why an uncomfortable mammogram is a positive sign of adequate compression. She also highlights the rigorous standards that mammography technologists are required to meet, reinforcing her message that breast cancer screening is an advanced and highly artful skill.

Connect with Dr. Storella

• Connect with Dr. Storella on LinkedIn: Dr. Janet Storella

Connect with Sharon

• Connect with Sharon on LinkedIn: Sharon Kedar
• Learn more about Innovate and Elevate innovateandelevatepodcast.com
• Subscribe to Innovate and Elevate on YouTube
• Join the newsletter to receive the latest episodes in your inbox: Innovate and Elevate Newsletter

Additional Resources

• American Cancer Society - Survival Rate for Breast Cancer
• MammogramNow™ at Walmart
• DeepHealth, a RadNet AI subsidiary
• Dr. Storella Named 2023 Top Doctor
• Tyrer-Cuzick Risk Assessment Calculator
• Breast Cancer Risk Assessment Tool (The Gail Model)
• The Brem Foundations Risk Calculator, CheckMate

Dedication

This episode of Innovate and Elevate is dedicated to the late Megan Ford, who passed away in 2021 following a breast cancer recurrence. A trailblazer in her own right, Megan’s passion was helping people grow and succeed in their careers. It’s time for all of us to innovate and elevate.

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Credits

This podcast is produced by the women at The Wave Editing.