Patient information guide : Printer Friendly | PDF
Updated March 5, 2002

Thank you for choosing Steinberg Diagnostic Medical Imaging Centers to perform your Mammography examination. We realize you may have questions regarding your upcoming exam and hope this information will help explain the procedure to you. If you have further questions, feel free to call our office At (702) 732 - 6000.

What is a Mammography?
A mammogram is a special x-ray of the breast. It is a radiological procedure available to detect small cancers long before they can be felt by you or your doctor.
As the x-rays pass through the breast tissue, an actual picture of the tissue inside is obtained. This image allows the radiologist to determine whether or not cancer is present.
If you are not having any breast problems, you will be scheduled for a screening mammogram. If you are having problems, then you should be scheduled for a diagnostic mammogram.

Common uses of this procedure.
Mammography is used to diagnose breast diseases in women. The use of screening mammography can assist in the detection of disease even if you have no complaints or symptoms.
While the AMA and ACR recommend that women aged 40 and older get annual mammograms, the National Cancer Institute (NCI) says women who are at increased risk due to a genetic history of breast cancer, or who have had breast cancer, may need to get mammograms at an earlier age.
The following are suggested guidelines:

Between the ages of 35 and 40
A woman should have a baseline mammogram

Between the ages of 40 and 50
A woman should have a mammogram once every one or two years

After the age of 50
A woman should have the mammogram every year

How does it work?
The breast is exposed to a small dose of radiation to produce an image of internal breast tissue. The image of the breast is produced as a result of some of the x-rays being absorbed (attenuation) while others pass through the breast to expose the film. The exposed film is either placed in a developing machine, producing images much like the negatives from a 35-mm camera, or images are digitally stored on computer

Benefits VS risks of a Mammography?

Benefits	Risks
Imaging of the breast improves a physician's ability to detect small tumors. When tumors are small, effective treatment and cure are more likely.	Radiation exposure. Mammography is an x-ray imaging procedure. Federal mammography guidelines limit the radiation used for each exposure of the breast to 0.3 rad. The exposure to radiation received from two mammographic views is equivalent to six months of natural background exposure. This amount of exposure is believed to be safe.
The use of screening mammography increases the detection of small abnormal tissue growths confined to the milk ducts in the breast, called ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). These early tumors cannot harm patients if they are removed at this stage and mammography is the only proven method to reliably detect these tumors.	False Positive Mammograms. Between 5 and 10 percent of mammogram results are abnormal and require more testing (more mammograms, fine needle aspiration, ultrasound, or biopsy), and most of the follow-up tests confirm that no cancer was present. It is estimated that a woman who has yearly mammograms between ages 40 and 49 would have about a 30 percent chance of having a false-positive mammogram at some point in that decade, and about a 7 to 8 percent chance of having a breast biopsy within the 10-year period. The estimate for false-positive mammograms is about 25 percent for women ages 50 or older.

Patient Comfort.
During a mammogram, the breast is positioned on the x-ray machine and is placed between two pieces of plastic. This gently flattens the breast and exposes as much of the tissue as possible. Your breasts will be compressed a few seconds for each x-ray. Although this will be slightly uncomfortable, it is necessary to ensure an accurate exam. The discomfort usually subsides within seconds.
Many women experience increased tenderness of the breasts prior to menstruation. If this applies to you, please avoid scheduling your mammogram at this time to minimize any additional discomfort.

Preparation required.
If you have had a mammogram at a different facility other than SDMI, please bring the films with you prior to your appointment. We will want to view those films for comparison.
Since this exam requires that you undress from the waist up for the exam, you may wish to wear a two piece outfit. Do not apply any deodorant, powder or cream the day of your exam.

After the test.
All patients are able to return to normal activities immediately following the scan.

Results of the test
At SDMI, we have a radiologist on site at all times so the test will be interpreted promptly. The results will be phoned, faxed, mailed, or delivered electronically to the referring physician. He/she will share the results with the patient.

I am ready to schedule an appointment.
To schedule a Mammography with SDMI, please call 732 - 6000