Screening mammography is a low-dose X-ray examination of a woman’s breasts used to detect breast cancer when that cancer is too small to be felt as a lump. Screening mammography is carried out on women who do not have any symptoms of breast disease. The aim of screening mammography is to reduce the death rate from breast cancer by detecting unsuspected breast cancers at an early stage.
WHAT IS AN MAMMOGRAPHY?
Mammography, also commonly referred to as a mammogram, is a type of x-ray of the breasts used to screen for breast cancer in women and to help diagnose breast cancer in women who have a lump in their breast.
If you are a woman aged between 50 and 74 years, it is recommended that you have a mammogram every 3 years to screen for breast cancer.
Screening mammograms are used to find breast cancers early before they can be seen or felt. Mammograms increase the chance of early detection and successful treatment of breast cancer, It is also important that women get to know the normal look and feel of their breasts even if they are having regular mammograms. If you notice any changes or feel something unusual, talk to your doctor.
HOW DOES MAMMOGRAPHY WORK?
A mammogram is a method that uses low doses of x-rays to create an image of the breast. It can find changes in the breast that are too small to be felt during physical examination.
A mammogram is used as a breast cancer screening test, This means it is used to examine women who don’t have any reason to suspect they might have breast cancer, It is also used as part of a diagnostic test for women who have a breast lump.
WHY ARE SCREENING MAMMOGRAMS IMPORTANT?
Screening mammograms are performed on women 40 years or over with no breast symptoms every two years, for the purpose of detecting breast cancer at an early stage before it can be felt or noticed.
Here Are Some Important Facts.
- Women in INDIA have a 1 in 28 risks of developing breast cancer in their lifetime
- The risk of breast cancer increases with age
- A mammogram can detect 70-90% of breast cancers and is the only proven means of detecting breast cancer at this early stage
- Screening mammograms may detect a very small cancer, as small as a grain of rice before you or your doctor can feel it
- Breast cancer cannot be prevented, but the earlier a breast cancer is detected the better the chance of successful treatment.
Frequently Asked Questions
To obtain a clear picture and to minimize the radiation dose, the breast is positioned and compressed between two flat plates. This may be uncomfortable but lasts only a few seconds.
- Compression holds the breast firmly which reduces movement and blurring
- Compression spreads the breast tissue so that small changes are less likely to be hidden
- Compression flattens the breast to an even thickness so that only a low dose of radiation is needed to see through the breast tissue
The risk of getting cancer from a screening mammogram is considered very low. The benefit of early diagnosis and treatment of breast cancer far outweighs the risk of the small amount of radiation received during a screening mammogram.
Important things to remember before your appointment.
- Women whose breasts become tender before their periods find it more comfortable to have a mammogram during or just after a period.
- Please don’t wear talcum powder or deodorant on the day of your appointment. It may show on the X-ray picture.
- Please be aware you will be reading information and signing a consent form at the appointment.
