Mammograms can catch early signs of breast cancer. If you’re a woman between the ages of 40 and 74, it’s recommended to get a screening every other year. But men may also need to get screened.
A mammogram is a special type of X-ray used to scan breast tissue. It may be used as either a screening tool for breast cancer or a diagnostic tool to examine unusual breast tissue.
A mammogram is an X-ray used to examine breast tissue for cancers and other irregularities.
Similar to an X-ray, which looks at the structures inside your body, a mammogram uses radiation to produce an image of the inside of your body.
During a mammogram, a machine compresses your breast tissue between two plates. This makes the examination area thinner and allows the technicians to capture an image with lower doses of radiation than a traditional X-ray.
Screening mammograms usually view your breast tissue from at least two different angles.
Screening mammograms are done intermittently, even if you don’t notice any lumps or pain.
Early detection of breast cancer is important, and these scans can detect potentially concerning breast changes — even before you have any symptoms.
The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends women get a mammogram every other year from age 40 until age 74.
After age 74, it’s up to you and your doctor whether you continue screening.
This is a shift from the past recommendation for women to start screening for breast cancer between ages 40 and 50. The USPSTF has updated their previous statement as more women in their 40s are getting breast cancer.
Note that the
If you have certain genes in your family or other risk factors for breast cancer, you may need to start screenings earlier.
What are 3D mammograms?
A 3D mammogram, also called breast tomosynthesis or digital breast tomosynthesis, is very similar to a 2D mammogram.
Instead of capturing images from two stationary angles, a 3D mammogram machine revolves around your breast to provide a more complete view of the tissue. Your doctor can then view this image in “slices,” separating tiny sections of breast tissue for a closer look.
Studies are now looking into whether 3D mammograms are preferable to 2D ones. 3D scans reduce the need for additional follow-up testing after 2D scans. They can also help locate more cancerous areas, especially in people with dense breast tissue.
Screening mammograms and diagnostic mammograms are very similar in the way they’re performed and the results they produce. The main differences are why and how often they are done:
- A screening mammogram is what it implies — a screening tool to find cases of breast cancer in people who aren’t experiencing any symptoms.
- A diagnostic mammogram is done after discovering a lump in your breast or other symptoms.
- During both mammograms, your doctor will examine your entire breast. But they may spend extra time and capture more images with a diagnostic mammogram than with a screening mammogram.
Benefits
The primary benefit of a mammogram is the early detection of breast cancer. Early detection is critical to treating and overcoming breast cancer, but no test is perfect.
Regular screening mammograms are good at finding early stage cancers. According to a 2020 study, this results in about a
Risks
One major risk of breast cancer screening mammograms is a false positive result that may lead to anxiety and over-testing. Mammograms also miss about
Timing is an important factor, with some people developing breast cancer between screenings. These cancers, called interval breast cancers, develop after one screening but before the next.
The same 2020 study found that interval breast cancers
- 12% to 26% of people screened yearly
- 17% to 33% of people screened every other year
- 32% to 38% of people screened every 3 years
Concern about radiation exposure
According to the
The typical radiation dose with a two-view mammogram is roughly
People in the U.S. receive about
This means that the radiation you’re exposed to during a mammogram is about equal to the amount of radiation you’re exposed to anywhere else over about 7 weeks.
The consideration of this risk changes slightly if you’re pregnant. The radiation risk to a developing fetus is small, and mammograms are usually considered safe during pregnancy.
But you may skip routine screenings out of caution if you don’t have a heightened risk of developing breast cancer.
You can get a mammogram at a hospital, specialty clinic, or doctor’s office.
Facilities accredited by the American College of Radiology have technicians specially trained in mammography.
A primary care doctor or gynecologist can discuss breast cancer screening with you and help you set up an appointment. Some facilities even offer walk-in mammogram screenings.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also created a national directory of facilities that perform mammograms. You can search the directory by state or zip code.
Once you check in, you’ll be guided to an examination area, where you’ll be asked to remove your clothing above your waist.
It can help to wear shirts that are easy to remove and put back on. The facility will provide a cover or gown to wear during your mammogram.
You may be asked ahead of time
- deodorants
- perfumes
- lotions
- powders
These can make it difficult for the machine to compress your breast tissue and may appear as white spots on the final pictures.
The mammogram itself won’t take long, but the exact time depends on the individual. You should be able to complete your entire appointment in about
Some people may find the scan painful due to awkward positioning and the pressure of the two plates on your breast tissue. But this pressure is applied for only a few seconds at a time.
Once the scan is complete, depending on the facility, the final report can take a few days to several weeks to receive.
Timing is everything
How often you have a mammogram isn’t the only way timing may affect your results. Your breasts may be particularly heavy or swollen the week before or during your menstrual cycle. It’s best to schedule your appointment with this in mind.
You may also want to consider the timing of a COVID-19 vaccination. Radiologists have noticed changes in mammograms after vaccination, specifically with swelling or enlargement of lymph nodes around your breasts.
However, a 2022 study suggests that technicians and doctors are taking vaccination status and timing into consideration when analyzing mammograms. The authors say no need to delay your mammogram because of a COVID-19 vaccination.
Medicare and Medicaid cover the cost of mammograms, and all private insurance plans must include coverage for this test
According to data gathered between 2019 and 2021, the median cost of screening mammograms in the U.S. can range from $139 to $360.
Diagnostic mammograms, however, may cost over $1,000 in some areas.
Programs can help cover the cost of mammograms
The
- You have no insurance.
- Your insurance doesn’t cover your screening.
- Your income is at or below 250% of the federal poverty level.
- You’re between the ages of 40 and 64 and need breast cancer screening.
- You’re between the ages of 21 and 64 and need cervical cancer screening.
- You fall outside of these age ranges but have an increased risk of these cancers.
Are mammograms the best way to detect breast cancer?
Mammograms may detect tissue that raises concern for breast cancer, even if you don’t have any symptoms. This can lead to an early diagnosis of breast cancer and a better treatment outcome.
While the accuracy of mammograms isn’t perfect, they’re currently the best way to provide regular screenings in a noninvasive way.
What other screening methods are used for breast cancer?
If you have atypical results on your mammogram or symptoms, your doctor may want to perform more detailed or specific tests to confirm a cancer diagnosis.
These may include:
Can you have a mammogram if you have breast implants?
You can — and should — continue to get regular mammograms even if you have breast implants, as you can still get breast cancer.
Be sure to tell your technician you have implants. You may need more images captured during the scan, and certain implants can make tissue analysis more challenging.
You don’t need to be screened with implants if they were placed after a complete double mastectomy.
Do you need mammogram screening after a double mastectomy?
After a double mastectomy, you’re left with very little tissue on your breasts — and certainly not enough to test with a mammogram.
You may have other follow-up screenings after a breast cancer diagnosis and mastectomy, but a mammogram won’t be one of them.
The exception is if you had only a single breast removed.
Should men get mammograms?
Typically, a person assigned male at birth doesn’t have enough breast tissue to perform a standard mammogram.
Still, male breast cancer makes up
People who have certain genes or other risk factors should be screened for breast and prostate cancers, regardless of gender assigned at birth.
Make this decision with the help of a doctor based on your individual risk.
Mammograms can help catch early signs of breast cancer in people of any gender. It’s recommended for women between the ages of 40 and 74 to get a mammogram once every other year.
If you’re concerned about the risk of radiation from a mammogram, since it’s a type of X-ray, know that the benefits outweigh the risks. The risk slightly increases, however, if you’re pregnant.
Many facilities offer mammograms, and insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, must offer screens at no cost. However, you can still receive reduced-cost or free mammograms even without insurance.