Mammography Summary A mammogram is an x-ray picture of the breast. It can be used to check for breast cancer in women who have no signs or symptoms of the disease. It can also be used if you have a lump or other sign of breast cancer. Screening mammography is the type of mammogram that checks you when you have no symptoms. It can help reduce the number of deaths from breast cancer among women ages 40 to 70. But it can also have drawbacks. Mammograms can sometimes find something that looks abnormal but isn’t cancer. This leads to further testing and can cause you anxiety. Sometimes mammograms can miss cancer when it is there. It also exposes you to radiation. You should talk to your doctor about the benefits and drawbacks of mammograms. Together, you can decide when to start and how often to have a mammogram. Mammograms are also recommended for younger women who have symptoms of breast cancer or who have a high risk of the disease. When you have a mammogram, you stand in front of an x-ray machine. The person who takes the x-rays places your breast between two plastic plates. The plates press your breast and make it flat. This may be uncomfortable, but it helps get a clear picture. You should get a written report of your mammogram results within 30 days. NIH: National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Related Issues Accuracy of Mammograms Susan G. Komen for the Cure Breast Density and Your Breast Mammogram Report American Cancer Society Dense Breasts Array Mammogram: Can It Find Cancer in Dense Breasts? Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research Mammograms in Special Circumstances American Cancer Society Mammography: What You Need to Know Food and Drug Administration Nipple Aspirate Test Is No Substitute for Mammogram Food and Drug Administration Thermogram No Substitute for Mammogram Food and Drug Administration What Does the Doctor Look for on a Mammogram? American Cancer Society Find an Expert American Cancer Society American Cancer Society Mammography Facilities Food and Drug Administration National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute Statistics and Research Breast Cancer Patients with High Density Mammograms Do Not Have Increased Risk of Death National Cancer Institute Breast Cancer Screening Rates Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Experimental and Other Breast Imaging Methods American Cancer Society FastStats: Mammography/Breast Cancer National Center for Health Statistics Women with Disabilities and Breast Cancer Screening Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Array Breast cancer screenings Mammogram – calcifications Mammography Clinical Trials ClinicalTrials.gov: Mammography National Institutes of Health Specifics Frequently Asked Questions about Digital Mammography Food and Drug Administration Galactography (Ductography) Array Scintimammography (Breast Specific Gamma Imaging-BSGI) Array Start Here Mammograms Department of Health and Human Services, Office on Women’s Health Mammograms National Cancer Institute Mammograms and Other Breast Imaging Tests American Cancer Society Mammography Array What Is a Mammogram and When Should I Get One? Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Journal Articles Mammography NIH MedlinePlus Magazine Screening for Breast Cancer: #BeBrave: A Life-Saving Test Screening for Breast Cancer: Detection and Diagnosis Diagnosis and Tests Screening for Breast Problems American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Latest News Mammograms May Also Help Spot Heart Disease, Study Suggests HealthDay About Half of Women May Benefit from Mammograms at 40: Analysis HealthDay
