Mammography And Other Radiologic Screening
Mammography
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A mammogram is a special kind of X-ray used to help find breast tumors before symptoms of cancer appear. During the test, your breast is placed between two metal plates that flatten and spread the tissue. Low levels of radiation are used to take a picture of the inside of your breast. The test can be slightly uncomfortable, but it only lasts a few moments. If you’re still getting your period, you may want to schedule your mammogram for the time following your period. Menstruation can cause breast tenderness, which may make you more uncomfortable during the test. For more details about what’s involved with this test, go to How Does My Doctor Know I Have Breast Cancer?.
A mammogram detects tumors and calcium deposits in the breast. Most calcium deposits are benign. However, a cluster of very tiny specks of calcium, called microcalcifications, can be an early sign of breast cancer. If your mammogram shows anything abnormal, you may need more tests.
Although a mammogram is the best way to find breast cancer early, it may not always detect cancer. And sometimes a mammogram may detect an abnormality that turns out not to be cancer, called a “false positive.” Some people worry about the radiation. But the radiation levels are about the same as those you’d be exposed to during a flight from New York to California. Some facilities have digital mammography, which displays results on a computer, rather than on film.
MRI Screening
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) uses intravenous contrast, gadolinium, to image the breast. It does not use ionizing radiation. MRI screening for breast cancer has been shown to increase detection of breast cancer in women at high risk for hereditary breast cancer.
The American Cancer Society recommends the use of MRI screening in addition to mammography for high-risk women. High-risk includes women with:
- Strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer
- Women who were treated with radiation to their chest, such as in Hodgkin’s disease
- BRCA mutation carriers