Every woman had different experiences with a mammogram. Some women feel pain and mild discomfort and some may feel nothing at all. During a mammogram, the pressure on the breasts from testing equipment causes pain. This pressure during the mammography lasts for 5 minutes and will subside gradually. The pain level varies depending on the type of mammogram equipment, the size and positioning of your breasts for the mammogram, and the time when you are taking the test in relation to your menstrual cycle.

Mammography is the process of imaging breasts using low-energy x-rays for screening and diagnosis. A mammography test is referred to as a mammogram.

If you are a woman of age 40 to 44 years, you can start going for screening once a year with your doctor’s approval. If you are between 45 to 54 years, we encourage you to go for screening once a year. If you are above 55 years, it’s better to go for screening once every two years. If you are at higher risk of breast cancer, then a breast MRI will also be recommended.

Generally, there are three types of mammograms:

1. Conventional mammography
2. 2D Digital mammography
3. 3D Digital mammography

Each mammography goal is the same that is to get an x-ray of breasts, but the cost and efficacy differ. Compared to conventional mammography, 2D digital mammography and 3D Digital mammography yield more accurate results. Hence, the cost of such mammograms is a little higher.

You can start getting mammography done once a year with your doctor’s approval if you are over the age of 40 to 44. If you are between 45 to 54 years, it’s recommended to go for screening once a year and for women above 55 years, it’s better to get mammography once every two years. Only for women with breast cancer risk factors, a breast MRI will also be recommended along with a mammogram.

Below are the five main breast cancer symptoms that are commonly seen in most breast cancer cases:

• Presence of a lump, or unusual thickening in the breast or the underarm region
• A change in the colour, shape, and size of breasts
• Unusual discharge from the nipples
• Dimples on the skin of the breasts
• Nipple turning inward

If you experience any of these symptoms, consult a doctor and get your breasts examined.

A mammogram typically takes 30 minutes, from setting up for testing to leaving the centre. But the main mammography procedure which is the imaging of breasts takes around 10 to 15 minutes. This time may be longer depending on the waiting time at the mammography diagnostic centres. You can avoid these waiting times by booking a mammography test through Onco.

A mammogram is an efficient imaging technique for detecting breast cancer at its early stages, especially in women over 50 years of age. Advanced types of mammograms such as 2D and 3D digital mammograms are now available for accurate breast cancer diagnosis. It doesn’t show any false negatives or false positives. About 75% to 85% of women are accurately diagnosed with breast cancer in the early stages and saved their lives.

Mammography is good to be done on both breasts. It gets the x-ray of the front side and side angles of the breasts. It may cause a little discomfort, but helps to get a clear picture of both breasts.

A breast lump can be of variable sizes ranging from the size of a pea to the size of a golf ball. Breast lumps are stable and unmovable. When we examine our breasts, these lumps feel like a solid mass compared to the remaining breast tissue. This breast lump can be noticeable visually if it is larger enough or can be felt through touch during self-examination or a clinical examination. Often this lump alters the size, shape, thickness, and skin colour of the breasts. Breast lumps are almost painless, only in a few cases, it causes pain in the breasts.

There are no major activities to be avoided before getting a mammogram. However, here are a few things that you should avoid before going for a mammogram:

• Avoid applying lotions, deodorants, perfumes, powders, etc skin care products to the breast area.
• Caffeine can cause breast tenderness if you are a person with caffeine sensitivities. So, avoid consuming caffeine products right before your mammogram.
• Avoid applying makeup products near to breast area because the tiny cosmetic particles can show up as spots on the mammography.

You can have your regular meals, drinks, and prescribed medications without worries. These do not show any impact on mammography test results.

Only in certain cases, mammograms cause some risks including

• Mammography will make you exposed to radiation. As it is low-dose radiation there won’t be any problem.
• Rarely, mammogram shows false positives. If any abnormalities are found, leads to additional tests such as an ultrasound scan, biopsy to test the breast tissue, etc to get a confirmation.
• If breast cancer tumours are present deep inside of breasts or in the armpit area, it goes undetected through a mammogram. But can be detected through clinical examination of breasts.

This is a myth. Mammography can cause a person to expose to a limited amount of radiation. This is not so dangerous and does not cause breast cancer. But getting mammography tests very frequently can affect your breasts with high amounts of radiation. Ask your doctor for proper guidance on when to get mammography and how often should you get mammography. According to cancer.org the amount of radiation a woman gets with a mammogram is equal to the amount of radiation a woman gets from her natural surroundings over about 7 weeks.

The radiation dose involved in mammography testing is very less. This doesn’t increase the risk of getting cancer. But over screening with a mammogram can cause radiation injury to the skin and underlying tissues.