Mammography

Mammography is a procedure through which a mammogram of the breast is taken. A mammogram is obtained from an X-ray examination of the breast disease in women who have problems, such as a lump, pain, or nipple discharge, as well as for women who do not have any problems in the breast. The procedure helps detect breast cancer, tumor, and cysts in the breast when it is too early to detect them by touch.

Mammography can’t prove that an abnormal-looking area is a cancer but if there is a suspicion, a biopsy will be done, for which tissue will be removed through a needle or open surgical biopsy and examined under a microscope to check whether it is cancer.

We have dedicated equipment that produces images that are high in quality but low in radiation dose. We have a stereotactic (3D) biopsy system that allows us to gather tissue samples from a breast abnormality, using 3D mammography and X-ray imaging, through a minimally invasive approach.

The development of digital mammography has improved the field of breast imaging. We have low-radiation digital imaging mammography equipment that provides electronic images of the breasts. The procedure is the same as standard mammography.

There are two types of mammograms:

Screening Mammogram: A screening mammogram is an X-ray of the breast that is used to detect changes in the breast in women who do not have any signs of breast cancer. Usually, two X-rays of each breast are taken.

Diagnostic Mammogram: A diagnostic mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used to detect abnormal changes in the breast, such as pain, lump, thickening of nipple or nipple discharge, or altered size or shape of the breast. It can also be used to assess the abnormalities found in a screening mammogram.

Procedure

You will have to stand in front of a specialized X-ray machine. The technician will place your breast on a plastic plate. There will be another plate that will firmly press your breast from above. This way, the breast will be flattened. The plates will keep the breast still when the X-ray is being taken. You might experience a feeling of pressure.

The same steps are repeated to take a side view X-ray of the breast. If required, an X-ray will be taken of the other breast as well. The technician will, then, check the X-rays to see if the pictures are okay.