Mammography and Other Screening Tests for Breast Problems

Frequently Asked Questions Expand All

• What is a screening test?

  A screening test is used to find conditions in people who do not have signs or symptoms. This allows early treatment.

• Why is breast screening important?

  In the United States, one in eight women will develop breast cancer by age 75. Regular breast screening can help find cancer at an early and more curable stage. Screening can also find problems in the breasts that are not cancer.

  
  
• What is mammography?

  Mammography is the primary tool used to screen for breast cancer and other problems. Mammography uses X-ray technology to view the breasts. The images created are called a mammogram. A physician called a radiologist reads the images.

  
  
• Why is mammography done?

  Mammography is done for two reasons:

  1. As a screening test to check for breast cancer if you do not have signs or symptoms.

  2. As a diagnostic test to check lumps or other symptoms that you have found yourself or that have been found by an obstetrician–gynecologist (ob-gyn) or other health care professional.

  This FAQ focuses on screening mammography.

  
  
• How should I prepare for a mammogram?

  On the day of your test, you should not wear powders, lotions, or deodorants. Most of these products have substances that can show on the X-ray. They can make your mammogram hard to interpret.

  
  
• What happens during a mammogram?

  • You undress from the waist up and put on a gown.

  • Then you stand in front of an X-ray machine.

  • The technician helps you place one of your breasts between two flat plastic plates. For the scan, the plates flatten your breast as much as possible so that the most amount of tissue can be viewed. This causes firm pressure on your breast.

  • These steps are repeated to take a side view of the same breast.

  • The test is then done on the other breast.

  
  
• Is it painful to get a mammogram?

  The pressure of the plates often makes the breasts ache. This discomfort is brief. If you are still having menstrual periods, you may want to have the test done in the week right after your period. The breasts are often less tender after your period.

  
  
• What do the results mean?

  Radiologists use a system called BI-RADS to classify mammography results. Your screening mammogram result is given a score. Scores range from 0 to 5 and mean the following:

  0—More information is needed. You may need another mammogram before a score can be given.

  1—Nothing abnormal is seen. You should continue to have routine screening.

  2—Benign conditions, such as cysts, are seen. You should continue to have routine screening.

  3—Something is seen that probably is not cancer. A repeat mammogram should be done within 6 months.

  4—Something is seen that is suspicious for cancer. You may need to have a biopsy.

  5—Something is seen that is highly suggestive of cancer. You will need to have a biopsy.

  
  
• My mammogram report mentions breast density. What is this?

  Fibrous tissue and fat give breasts their shape. When breasts are dense, they have more fibrous tissue and less fat. Breast density is a normal and common finding on a mammogram, but breast density may make it harder for a radiologist to see cancer. If your report says you have dense breasts, your ob-gyn or other health care professional may discuss other screening tests in addition to mammography.

• What does it mean to be at average risk of breast cancer?

  You may be at high risk of breast cancer if you have certain risk factors. These risk factors include a family history of breast cancer, ovarian cancer, or other inherited types of cancer; BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations; chest radiation treatments at a young age; and a history of high-risk breast biopsy results. If you don't have these risk factors, you are at average risk.

  
  
• When should I start having screening mammography?

  If you are at average risk of breast cancer, screening mammography is recommended every 1 to 2 years beginning at age 40. Screening should continue until at least age 75.

  
  
• How accurate is screening mammography?

  Like other screening tests, mammography is not perfect. Mammography may miss cancer even when it is present. If results do not show cancer but you do in fact have cancer, it is called a false-negative result. False-negative results can lead to delays in treatment.

  Mammography also may show something that is thought to be cancer, but when results of follow-up tests are read, they show that you do not have cancer. This is called a false-positive result. Follow-up testing can be inconvenient and uncomfortable, and it can cause anxiety.

• How is a clinical breast exam done?

  Your ob-gyn or other health care professional may examine your breasts during routine checkups. This is called a clinical breast exam. The exam may be done while you are lying down or sitting up. The breasts are checked for any changes in size or shape, puckers, dimples, or redness of the skin. Your ob-gyn or other health care professional may feel for changes in each breast and under each arm.

• How often should I have a clinical breast exam?

  If you are at average risk of breast cancer and do not have symptoms, the following are suggested:

  • Clinical breast exam every 1 to 3 years when you are 25 to 39 years old

  • Clinical breast exam every year when you are 40 and older

  
  
• What is breast self-awareness?

  Breast self-awareness focuses on having a sense of what is normal for your breasts so that you can tell if there are changes—even small changes—and report them to your ob-gyn or other health care professional.

• Why is breast self-awareness important?

  Breast cancer is often found by a woman herself. This happens in almost one half of all cases of breast cancer in women 50 and older. In women younger than 50, more than 70% of cases of breast cancer are found by the women themselves.

  
  
• How can I talk with my doctor about mammography and breast health?

  Before age 40, you can start the conversation with these questions:

  • What are my chances of having breast cancer?

  • When should I start getting regular mammograms?

  • How often should I get them?

  You can ask more specific questions based on your age. If you are 40 to 75 years old:

  • What are the pros and cons of getting mammograms every 2 years instead of every year?

  If you are older than 75:

  • Do I need to keep having mammograms?

  You and your ob-gyn or other health care professional should share information, talk about your wishes, and agree on how often you will have breast screening.

• Glossary

  Benign: Not cancer.

  Biopsy: A minor surgical procedure to remove a small piece of tissue. This tissue is examined under a microscope in a laboratory.

  BRCA1 and BRCA2: Genes that keep cells from growing too rapidly. Changes in these genes have been linked to an increased risk of cancer in the breasts, ovaries, and other parts of the body.

  Cysts: Sacs or pouches filled with fluid.

  Mammography: X-rays of the breast that are used to find breast cancer or other breast problems.

  Mammogram: An X-ray image used to show breast cancer or other breast problems.

  Mutations: Changes in a gene that can be passed from parent to child.

  Obstetrician–Gynecologist (Ob-Gyn): A doctor with medical and surgical training and education in the female reproductive system.