Mammography

Mammography is a low-dose x-ray examination of the breasts. Most medical experts agree that successful treatment of breast cancer is linked to early diagnosis. Mammography plays a central part in early detection because it can show changes in the breast up to two years before a patient or physician can feel them.

Current guidelines from the American Cancer Society (ACS), the American Medical Association (AMA) and the American College of Radiology (ACR) recommend yearly screening mammography beginning at age 40. Patients who have had cancer or who have a genetic risk may be advised to undergo yearly screening from an earlier age.

The procedure involves compression of tissues which may cause discomfort for patients with sensitive breasts. False-positive results may occur in up to 10% of cases, due to a wide variation in normal breast appearances, necessitating re-examination, ultrasound correlation or biopsy. Patients having breast implants can be safely examined by careful compression, though the prostheses may prevent a clear view of all the tissues. As with dense breasts, an ultrasound is often performed to help investigate difficult areas. Despite the sensitivity of these examinations, not all cancers can be seen on mammography. Radiation dose in mammography is minimal, some 0.7mSv or the equivalent of 3 month's natural background radiation.