What do mammograms find

Standard X-rays are performed for many reasons, including diagnosing tumors or bone injuries. X-rays are made by using external radiation to produce images of the body, its organs, and other internal structures for diagnostic purposes.

X-rays pass through body structures onto specially-treated plates similar to camera film and a "negative" type picture is made the more solid a structure is, the whiter it appears on the film. Breast imaging experts explain breast imaging and the difference between screening and diagnostic mammograms. Each breast has 15 to 20 sections, called lobes, which are arranged like the petals of a daisy.

Each lobe has many smaller lobules, which end in dozens of tiny bulbs that can produce milk. The lobes, lobules, and bulbs are all linked by thin tubes called ducts. These ducts lead to the nipple in the center of a dark area of skin called the areola. Fat fills the spaces between lobules and ducts. Each breast also contains blood vessels and vessels that carry lymph.

The lymph vessels lead to small bean-shaped organs called lymph nodes, clusters of which are found under the arm, above the collarbone, and in the chest, as well as in many other parts of the body.

Mammography may be used either for screening or to make a diagnosis. Women older than 30 years should undergo diagnostic mammography if they have symptoms, such as a palpable lump, breast skin thickening or indentation, nipple discharge or retraction, erosive sore of the nipple, or breast pain. A mammogram may be used to evaluate breast pain when physical examination and history are not conclusive.

Women who are at high risk for breast cancer or with a history of breast cancer may be routinely screened with mammography. Different health experts have different recommendations for mammography. The following screening guidelines are for early detection of cancer in women who have no symptoms:. The National Cancer Institute guidelines state that women in their 40s and older should have a screening mammogram on a regular basis, every 1 to 2 years. The American Cancer Society recommends that women with an average risk of breast cancer should have regular screening mammograms starting at age Mammograms should be done every year for all women ages 45 to Then you can switch to mammograms every 2 years.

Or you have the choice to continue annual mammograms. It can help find both cancerous malignant and non-cancerous benign tumours in the breast. Screening mammography is used to look for cancer in women who do not have any symptoms of breast cancer or breast problems. Both breasts are examined during a screening mammography.

It can help find lumps or abnormal areas of breast tissue that may be too small to be felt by hand. Screening mammography monitors changes to the breast over time and can help find breast cancer at an early stage. Diagnostic mammography is done to diagnose a breast problem, such as a lump or suspicious area. You may notice the problem and tell your doctor about it, or it may be found during a clinical breast examination or screening mammography.

Diagnostic mammography takes longer than a screening mammography. More detailed images and views of the breast are taken from different angles, to look more closely at an area in the breast.

Diagnostic mammography is usually done on both breasts so that doctors can compare the breast tissue of both breasts. Diagnostic mammography may also be done to help find the abnormal area during a stereotactic core needle biopsy or wire localization biopsy. These products can interfere with the accuracy of the x-ray. You may be given a disposable towel to wipe down your skin around your breasts and armpits.

Your breasts may be tender during this time. Avoid drinks and food that contain caffeine, such as coffee, tea, cola and chocolate, for 5—7 days before mammography. Talk to your doctor about taking a mild pain medicine about an hour before your test. Views of each breast are taken from different angles. Diagnostic mammography takes more views than screening mammography. Before you get dressed, the technologist will check the mammography films mammograms to make sure they are clear enough for the radiologist a doctor who specializes in using imaging techniques to read.

You may have to do the test again if the mammograms are not clear. Some people have a condition called ductal carcinoma in situ DCIS that shows up on the mammogram. You usually receive a letter giving you the results within 2 weeks of having the test. Your GP will also get a copy. If screening shows that you have cancer, it is likely to have been found early.

This means you have a very good chance of successful treatment. A mammogram is a very safe procedure but the screening unit staff will tell you who to contact if you have any problems after your test. Screening doesn't always find a cancer that is there. So some people with breast cancer will be missed. This is called a false negative result.

For some, a mammogram may pick up something even though they don't have breast cancer. This is called a false positive result and can lead to anxiety and further tests such as a breast biopsy. Each mammogram exposes a woman to small amounts of radiation from the x-rays. But the amount of radiation is very small.

X-rays can very rarely cause cancer. If you have symptoms that could be breast cancer, your GP usually refers you to a breast clinic for tests. Find out about these tests. When breast cancer is diagnosed you might have other tests to find out how big it is and whether it has spread.

Find out about breast cancer, including symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, survival, and how to cope with the effects on your life and relationships. Symptoms of breast cancer include a lump or thickening in the breast. The patient's experience during a digital mammogram is similar to having a conventional film mammogram. Computer-aided detection CAD systems search digitized mammographic images for abnormal areas of density , mass, or calcification that may indicate the presence of cancer.

The CAD system highlights these areas on the images, alerting the radiologist to carefully assess this area. Breast tomosynthesis , also called three-dimensional 3-D mammography and digital breast tomosynthesis DBT , is an advanced form of breast imaging where multiple images of the breast from different angles are captured and reconstructed "synthesized" into a three-dimensional image set.

In this way, 3-D breast imaging is similar to computed tomography CT imaging in which a series of thin "slices" are assembled together to create a 3-D reconstruction of the body. Although the radiation dose for some breast tomosynthesis systems is slightly higher than the dosage used in standard mammography, it remains within the FDA-approved safe levels for radiation from mammograms.

Some systems have doses very similar to conventional mammography. Large population studies have shown that screening with breast tomosynthesis results in improved breast cancer detection rates and fewer "call-backs," instances where women are called back from screening for additional testing because of a potentially abnormal finding.

Mammograms are used as a screening tool to detect early breast cancer in women experiencing no symptoms. They can also be used to detect and diagnose breast disease in women experiencing symptoms such as a lump, pain, skin dimpling or nipple discharge. Screening Mammography Mammography plays a central part in early detection of breast cancers because it can show changes in the breast years before a patient or physician can feel them.

Research has shown that annual mammograms lead to early detection of breast cancers, when they are most curable and breast-conservation therapies are available.

The ACR and the National Cancer Institute NCI also suggest that women who have had breast cancer, and those who are at increased risk due to a family history of breast or ovarian cancer, should seek expert medical advice about whether they should begin screening before age 40 and the need for other types of screening. If you are at high risk for breast cancer, you may need to obtain a breast MRI in addition to your annual mammogram.

See the Breast Cancer Treatment page for information about breast cancer therapy. Diagnostic Mammography Diagnostic mammography is used to evaluate a patient with abnormal clinical findings—such as a breast lump or nipple discharge—that have been found by the woman or her doctor. Diagnostic mammography may also be done after an abnormal screening mammogram in order to evaluate the area of concern on the screening exam.

Before scheduling a mammogram, the American Cancer Society ACS and other specialty organizations recommend that you discuss any new findings or problems in your breasts with your doctor. In addition, inform your doctor of any prior surgeries, hormone use, and family or personal history of breast cancer. Do not schedule your mammogram for the week before your menstrual period if your breasts are usually tender during this time. The best time for a mammogram is one week following your period.

Always inform your doctor or x-ray technologist if there is any possibility that you are pregnant. A mammography unit is a box with a tube that produces x-rays. The unit is used exclusively for breast x-ray exams and features special accessories to limit x-ray exposure to only the breast.

The unit features a device to hold and compress the breast and position it so the technologist can capture images at different angles. Breast tomosynthesis is performed using digital mammography units, but not all digital mammography machines are equipped to perform tomosynthesis imaging. X-rays are a form of radiation like light or radio waves.

X-rays pass through most objects, including the body. The technologist carefully aims the x-ray beam at the area of interest. The machine produces a small burst of radiation that passes through your body. The radiation records an image on photographic film or a special detector. Different parts of the body absorb the x-rays in varying degrees. Dense bone absorbs much of the radiation while soft tissue muscle, fat, and organs allow more of the x-rays to pass through them.

As a result, bones appear white on the x-ray, soft tissue shows up in shades of gray, and air appears black. Most x-ray images are electronically stored digital files. Your doctor can easily access these stored images to diagnose and manage your condition. In conventional film and digital mammography, a stationery x-ray tube captures an image from the side and an image from above the compressed breast.

In breast tomosynthesis, the x-ray tube moves in an arc over the breast, capturing multiple images from different angles.

During mammography, a specially qualified radiologic technologist will position your breast in the mammography unit. Your breast will be placed on a special platform and compressed with a clear plastic paddle.