Mammography
Mammography is a type of scanning that uses low dose x-rays to examine the breast.
During a mammogram the radiographer will position your breast in a mammography unit.
Your breast will be placed on a special platform and compressed with a paddle. This is necessary so all the breast tissue can be x-rayed. The radiographers will then walk behind a screen and activate the machine./p>
The whole procedure will take around 30 minutes
Mammography is the best test to detect early breast cancer and is the only test proven to reduce the death rate of breast cancer. When detected early, the “cure rate” is greater than 90 percent. Digital mammography is a new state-of-the-art technique to detect breast cancer.
Digital Mammography has many advantages over X-ray film based mammography. It helps radiologists to easily examine and make accurate diagnosis of the tissues of the breast as they have the ability to control the images on the computer and modify it to their requirement.
Mammogram helps in:
- Breast Screening
A mammogram can detect and diagnose breast disease in women who experience symptoms such as a lump, pain or nipple discharge. A mammogram can also help identify breast cancer in its early stages as it can detect any abnormal growth that may be too small to be felt by your physician. - Breast Cancer
Diagnostic Mammography can be done after a Breast Screening test, if any abnormal growths were found in the screening process, in order to focus on and diagnose that particular area of the breast for cancer or other breast diseases.
Preparation
Do not use deodorant or talcum powder in the breast area as it may appear as calcium patches on the mammogram. Avoid the mammogram test 10 days before your menstrual cycle and try and schedule it 10 days after your period. Inform the radiologist if you are pregnant.
