Digital Mammogram (Mammography)

Mammography uses a low-dose x-ray system to see inside the breasts. Mammography examination, also called a mammogram, aids in the early detection and diagnosis of breast diseases in women.

Your doctor will ask you to take the test depending on your present health status, family history and other risk factors. Mammograms are recommended as a screening test to check for breast cancer and as a diagnostic test to check for lumps or other symptoms.

You will be asked to stand in front of a special X-ray machine. A technician will lower a plastic plate that presses down on one of your breasts. This will put some pressure on your breast. The plates flatten your breast to view the tissues. It helps find out tumors or other signs of breast cancer.

The pressure of the plates on the breasts may be uncomfortable or even painful for some women. The breast compression process only takes a few minutes.

You can eat, drink, and take medications. On the day of the test, you should not wear body powder, cream, lotion or deodorant on your chest as these products can show on the X-ray.

Due to compression, there may be some temporary changes in skin color or mild aching. You can resume your regular activities after the test.

If the results from your mammogram are abnormal, you may be asked for some follow-up tests to check whether or not the finding is breast cancer.