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Though the word “mammogram” may ring as scary for many women, it is essentially an X-ray imaging of your breasts to detect a tumor or other abnormalities. There is no suggested or ideal age at which medical professionals agree one should start getting a screening mammogram, but typically women get their first mammogram between ages 35 and 40. Depending on risk level and preferences, women should discuss the options and risks with their doctor.

Remember that getting a screening mammogram does not necessarily mean there is cancer present: even if you get a call back, which is most common in first mammograms, it is most likely to look at a certain area more carefully. An extra ultrasound may be more commonly required in women who are pre-menopausal and get a mammogram done.

Facility Tips

• Choose a facility that specializes in mammograms and conducts a number of them in a day, speaking to its credibility and expertise. To reassure yourself about the standards being met, you may request to see an FDA certificate. If possible, visit the same facility every year so that your record is kept and comparisons may be done easily.
• Get your records from any other facility you may have visited in the past, so the pictures can be compared, and you can save some time.
• Also bring with you a list of places and dates when other mammograms may have been done, as well as biopsies or other breast treatments.

Day of the Mammogram

• Avoid deodorant, cream, or powder under your arms on the day you are scheduled to have a mammogram as those substances may show up as white spots.
• Wear clothes that will make it easy to remove just the top and your bra on the day of the exam.
• Try to schedule the mammogram on a day when your breasts are not swollen, so as to get a better picture and be more comfortable.

 The Exam

• Most technologists are women, and you and the technologist should be the ones in the room during the exam. They will position your breasts accordingly for the mammogram.
• Expect your breasts to be compressed between two plates, and the procedure should take about 10-20 minutes, while the breast compression will not be more than a few seconds.
• For a screening mammogram, two views of each breast are required. For women with larger breasts or breast implants, more photos may be necessary.
• There may be some discomfort or pain during the procedure, but you should alert the technologist so they can try and make it more comfortable for you.

Though getting a mammogram does not necessarily mean you have a malignant lump or cancer, you should check with the facility if you don’t hear back from them—until you are certain, you should not assume the mammogram is normal. The best quality of a mammogram is that it can detect breast cancer even if it is too small to be felt; this means that it is diagnosed at a very early stage giving it the best chances at a successful treatment.