Miller DiPietro Associates/Partnership :: Procedures :: Mammography

Mammography, which involves taking a low-dose X-ray of breast tissue, is important in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. Early diagnosis is crucial to the successful treatment of breast cancer; as a result, a number of medical agencies and professional groups such as the American Cancer Society and the American Medical Association recommend women get a mammogram every year starting at age 40.

How to Prepare for Your Mammogram

First, discuss any changes or problems in your breasts with your physician. It is also important that you mention any history of breast cancer in your family, prior surgeries or hormone treatments.

Do not schedule your mammogram during your period if your breasts are tender during this time. Also, be sure to inform your doctor or our staff if you are pregnant or suspect you may be pregnant, because the procedure involves the use of x-rays.

Do not wear deodorant, talcum powder or lotion under the arms or on the breasts, because they could show up as spots on your mammogram.

You will be asked to remove all clothing and jewelry above the waist and be given a gown or other loose-fitting material that opens from the front.

During the procedure, your breast will be placed on a special platform and compressed with a paddle. Though most patients find it unpleasant, the compression is extremely important because the uniform thickness of the compressed breast allows for the best picture. It also enables the radiologist to see smaller imperfections that might otherwise be obscured by thicker breast tissue, allows us to use a smaller, safer dose of x-rays, and restricts movement in order to avoid blurriness of the image. Typically, each breast will be imaged from top-to-bottom and side-to-side.

A typical mammogram will last 30 minutes. If you are having a screening mammography (meaning you are being screened and have exhibited no prior symptoms of breast disease), your images will be reviewed by a radiologist approximately 24 hours after your appointment. If you are having a diagnostic mammography, you will be asked to wait while your films are reviewed in case you require further testing.

Further Mammography Information

To learn more about this topic, click one of the links below.

MEDLINEplus offers an overview page with dozens of links to mammography resources.

Radiologyinfo.org has a page with valuable information about mammography.

General Health Resources

MEDLINEplus, a service of the National Institute of Health, is a treasure trove of medical information from the world's largest library of medical information, the National Library of Medicine. Their online resources include an illustrated medical encyclopedia, pages with information on over 600 health topics, drug information, dictionary of medical terms and health news.

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