A mammogram is an x-ray of the breast. It is performed using a safe, low-dose x-ray machine designed to take images of your breast tissue.
The Reason for A Mammogram
Mammograms are an important, non-invasive tool used to identify changes in your breast tissue and early detection of cancer.
Mammograms Are Used to Find Early Signs of Cancer
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), breast cancer is the second most common type of cancer in women in the United States. Early detection is key to treating it and a mammogram is one of the best ways to do that.
Regular Testing is Best
Regular mammograms are critically important to women’s health. An annual mammogram is the best way for doctors to find breast cancer early. It is not unusual for a mammogram to detect cancerous tissue in the breast three years before it is large enough for you to feel during a manual examination.
As beneficial as mammograms are, however, mammograms cannot detect all forms of cancer in the breast. Some cancers detected by physical examination may not show up on the mammogram. Also, a cancerous lesion may be too small or may be in an area that is difficult to view by mammography. That is why regular self-examination or examination by your doctor is important, too.
Beginning at around age 40, women should begin having annual screening mammograms. The reason for this age threshold is that mammograms of younger women can be difficult to interpret. The breast tissue in younger women tends to be dense causing mammograms to be less reliable. Dense breast tissue can obscure signs of cancer; however, as women age, breast tissue becomes fattier and less dense, making mammograms more reliable.
Whether you should begin having screening mammograms done earlier than age 40, or more frequently than annually, depends on your risk factors. Risk factors include a family history of breast cancer or precancerous breast lesions. If you are in the high-risk group, your doctor may recommend earlier mammograms along with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is a subject that you should discuss with your doctor. Also, your health insurance program may not cover a mammogram before you reach a certain age unless your doctor prescribes it.
A screening mammography is used to establish a baseline for your breast health. The baseline will better enable your doctor to detect breast changes and abnormalities by comparing mammograms in later years to the baseline.
Your doctor may order a diagnostic mammography for you. A diagnostic mammography is used to investigate changes in your breast such as a lump, breast pain, an unusual skin appearance, nipple thickening, or nipple discharge. It frequently includes x-ray images of the affected breast in addition to those done during a screening mammogram.
How A Mammogram Is Performed
The mammography x-ray machine is equipped with flat surfaces called compression paddles. The compression paddles compress each breast so that all of your breast tissue can be x-rayed.
Your x-ray technician will position you in front of the machine with one breast positioned against one of the compression paddles. The two paddles will come together and compress your breast so that all of the breast tissue is spread out and visible by the x-ray machine. Once properly positioned, an X-ray will capture black-and-white images of your breast tissue from several different angles. The process will then be repeated on your other breast. The x-ray images will be studied by a radiologist for signs of cancer and other abnormalities.
Mammograms Are Low Risk
As indicated earlier, the radiation dose from a mammogram is very small. As such, it presents little risk to your health, with the benefits of a mammogram outweighing the risk.
Abnormal Mammogram Results Can Lead to Further Testing
Your doctor will compare your latest mammogram to your prior mammograms. If a mammogram shows changes or suspicious areas in the breast tissue, you will likely have to undergo additional testing. Additional testing may include an ultrasound of the breast, or in some cases, your doctor may order a biopsy procedure to remove a sample of breast tissue for laboratory testing. In most cases, abnormalities shown on a mammogram are not cancer.
Call the Women’s Health Specialists at Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness, PA, for More Information about Mammograms
The importance of doing regular mammograms cannot be overstated. Certain types of cancers are aggressive, grow rapidly, and spread early to other parts of your body. A mammogram is one of the best ways to detect breast cancer and have it treated before it becomes life-threatening. If you would like more information about mammograms or need to schedule an examination, contact the women’s health specialists at Raleigh Gynecology and Wellness.