The Mammography Procedure

Breast Cancer Screening | Types of Mammography | Mammography Procedure | Mammography Findings | Other Screening Procedures

When a woman has a mammogram, she must undress above the waist and wear an open wrap, which is provided by the mammography facility. A breast-imaging technologist will place the patient in front of the machine and position each breast, one at a time, on the mammography equipment. The technologist will position the patient and the breast in the appropriate location for obtaining the best image of the breast. A paddle is then used to gently compress the breast so that the tissue is flattened.

Compressing the breast is necessary to obtain the best image. Compression thins and evens the breast tissue, so that a lower x-ray dose can be used. Even distribution of breast tissues reduces x-ray scatter, or the spread of radiation from the targeted tissue, which provides a better quality image. Compression also prevents the breast from moving during the procedure, thus reducing or eliminating blurred images. Breast compression lasts for a few seconds. It is uncomfortable, but should not be painful.

Some women find breast compression to be more uncomfortable than others; in fact, some women avoid having mammograms because they fear it will be painful or they had a past experience that was painful. There is a breast cushion, the MammoPad, that can be used during the exam to reduce the discomfort associated with mammography. Click here for additional information about the MammoPad.

When the breast is positioned and compression is complete, the technologist will leave the room or step behind a screen. Once shielded, the technologist will turn on the x-ray source to transfer the image of the breast onto the x-ray film or the digital detector. The process of positioning and radiating is repeated for additional views of the same breast and for the other breast.
If a screen-film examination is being conducted, the technologist will take all of the x-rays needed for the examination. She will then develop the films before the patient leaves, to make sure each film shows the right view and exposure.

In digital mammograms, the image for each exposure will appear on the technologist's computer screen, and she will be able to make sure each image is acceptable before positioning the patient for the next view.

The entire procedure for screening mammography should take 15 to 20 minutes for a screen-film examination and 5 to 10 minutes for digital mammography. The procedure may take longer if additional views are needed, as is the case in diagnostic mammography or for mammography of women with breast implants. Breast implants create a unique imaging situation, because some breast tissue will be covered by the implant and cannot be seen on x-rays. To compensate for this, additional films are taken, to allow as much breast tissue as possible to be imaged.

The mammography films are interpreted by a radiologist, who will look for abnormalities and compare the new films to previous mammograms, to detect any changes. The radiologist prepares a report for your mammography facility. The mammography facility is responsible for notifying the patient of the results.