The prevalence of cancer has increased, and it is becoming as common as coughs and colds. Lifestyle is a major factor, as people lead very busy, hectic, and stressful lives. Diet plays an important role as well. It has been found that many women are at high risk of developing breast cancer.
As per studies, around 16% of Indian women between the ages of 40 and 60 are at high risk of getting severe breast cancer. Breasts are an essential part of women's beauty, and if not discovered early, breast cancer can be as severe as removing the breast. Here, mammogram screening is crucial for women to detect breast cancer at an early stage, where it can be treated easily and successfully.
The breast cancer imaging procedure can seem daunting at first, but it is as simple as flattening your breast between the machines, just like a sandwich. The fact is that mammograms have saved many lives, and it's a blessing for women with breast cancer to detect it at an earlier stage and cure it completely. Understanding the process and preparing yourself well in advance will help you take it easy.
What is a mammogram?
A mammogram is a process that uses low-level X-rays to visualize breast tissue. Radiologists are usually responsible for examining this. The doctor can use breast cancer imaging techniques to find lumps or other abnormalities in the breast area. It can detect lumps as small as grains of sand that cannot even be felt physically.
As per medical experts, two types of mammograms are mostly preferred for diagnosing breast cancer symptoms. They are:
- Screening Mammogram:
A screening mammogram is the primary approach to this procedure, which involves an X-ray of the breast to detect changes or abnormalities. It is a precise observation test for women with possible asymptomatic breast cancer. It is used to detect a tumour that cannot be felt physically.
- Diagnostic Mammogram
A diagnostic mammogram is recommended for the patients to evaluate the abnormalities the screening mammogram detects. It helps take special images of the affected areas.
Mammograms: What your radiologist or technologist needs to know
To ensure a good-quality mammogram, the radiologist should know the following information before performing the procedure:
- Changes in your breasts and breast problems you have encountered
- If you have received any breast implant surgery,
- Having trouble standing still
- If you are breastfeeding or pregnant,
Tell your technologist or radiologist immediately if you feel dizzy or sick during the mammogram procedure. Your technician will comfort you so that you feel relaxed before proceeding because he or she understands your anxiety and fear very well.
Also Read: How Prognostic Tests guide treatment of Breast Cancer
What should I expect during a screening mammogram?
When getting a regular screening mammogram, here are a few things to expect:
- You need to undress above the waistline and change into the gown provided.
- You and the technologist operating the machine will be the only ones in the screening room. Outsiders are not allowed.
- For a high-quality image, your breast tissues need to be compressed and flattened just before clicking an X-ray. In this process, you will stand in front of a mammography machine. You need to place the breasts one at a time on the machine with the help of a technologist. A plastic plate is then pushed down to flatten the breast for 10–15 seconds while the technologist takes an X-ray. The process lasts for a few seconds, and you may feel some discomfort and slight pain.
- The breast will then be compressed from side to side in a different position so that another X-ray can be taken.
- For each image, breast compression lasts only 10–15 seconds, and the entire process takes about 20 minutes.
- If you feel more pain, you can tell the technologist, and they can adjust the compression accordingly.
- Typically, only two images are taken during a mammogram screening. It is possible, however, for women with enormous and dense breasts to have more images taken during the procedure.
You can choose to go for a 3D mammogram instead of a normal 2D mammogram, which is new, advanced, and popular. During a 3D mammogram procedure, the same low-level X-ray will be carried out as previously described, except the machine will move in an arc shape over the breast and side to side.
The machine will take the images from a 3D perspective at different angles. It is also necessary to hold your breath while clicking the image. The 3D mammogram is an advanced digital procedure in which the image is saved directly to the computer.
What should I expect during a diagnostic mammogram?
A diagnostic mammogram is needed if a woman's breast has some symptoms or something unusual is detected in her screening mammogram. Almost all of the steps are the same as those for screening mammograms. Take a look at the differences:
- More images are taken from different positions, highlighting the area where the symptoms are seen.
- These are special “spot views” or “magnification views” to gain more clarity and a better view of the affected area.
- A diagnostic mammogram involves examining the images in the presence of the patient so that additional images can be taken if necessary for further clarity.
What To Expect After the Tests?
The radiologist will look for evidence of cancer in the black and white mammogram image of your breast. Apart from that, he or she will also examine if any underlying conditions might demand further tests or necessary treatment for the patient. All of the reports are compiled and will then be sent to the healthcare provider.
Your doctor will contact you and either call you in for a meeting to discuss the reports or hand them to you. If the result shows any abnormalities, the doctors will recommend you start the treatment immediately after conducting more tests, including an ultrasound or MRI, for further diagnosis. It is common to get some indication of abnormal findings sometimes. A dense breast tissue or cyst may cause these results, which are not always alarming.
Tips to prepare yourself for your first Mammogram
Please follow these tips to be well-prepared before the mammogram procedure:
- Prepare yourself with over-the-counter pain medication recommended by your health practitioner.
- Before the screening, it is recommended that you do not use any beauty products or deodorants on your body.
- Determine whether screening or diagnostic mammography is right for you based on your doctor's advice.
- Be sure to hydrate yourself by eating well and drinking plenty of water.
- You should schedule a mammogram a few days after your period so that your breasts won't be tender.
- If you have had mammograms in the past, make sure you take the reports with you to the new facility. The radiologist can compare the current and past images to better determine the results..
- Try going to the same facility for your mammograms every year, making it easy for them to give you a comparative result.
Signs & Symptoms that Trigger the Need for Immediate Mammogram
Apart from the timely preventative diagnosis of breast cancer using mammogram screening, you should also take note of the problematic symptoms. Here are a few of the problematic symptoms that you shouldn't ignore and get along with the mammogram screening immediately:
- Breast or armpit lump
- Thickening or swelling of the breast or a portion of the breast
- Skin dimpling effects on the breasts
- Change in the form and the size of the breasts
- The feeling of heaviness in one of the breasts
- Inward pulling of the nipples
- Redness, rash, irritation, or scaling of the nipples or breasts
- Sudden breast pain
If you experience these symptoms, you should immediately contact your healthcare provider and schedule your mammogram. You should also get mammograms if you have a personal or family history of breast cancer.
Wrapping Up
Hopefully, this article has cleared up any doubts you may have about mammogram screening. Healthy lifestyles will keep you away from diseases and help you live a long and healthy life. Despite this, breast cancer cannot be eradicated. Early detection is the key to success. It is recommended that women over the age of 40 have annual mammogram screenings to prevent and cure breast cancer.
Agilus Diagnostics, a subsidiary of Fortis Healthcare Limited
