Protect Your Health with a Mammogram

A mammogram is an specialized X-ray of the breasts. It is used to detect breast cancer.Doctors recommend that women start getting regular mammograms between the ages of 40 to 45.

Find a Doctor with expertise in breast health, including mammography, in the Bay Area at Dignity Health. Our OB/GYNs and other specialists offer quality women’s services with a philosophy of care, dignity, and respect at our local hospitals and specialty centers:

• Dominican Hospital
• Dominican Breast Center
• St. Mary’s Medical Center
• St. Mary’s Center for Women’s Health
• Sequoia Hospital
• Sequoia Breast and Diagnostic Center
• St. Francis Memorial Hospital

Why Do You Need a Mammogram?

Your doctor may recommend a mammogram for the following reasons:

• During an annual exam to screen for breast cancer
• To diagnose a breast lump or other concern found by you or your doctor during a breast exam
• To track a breast lump or changes, or previous abnormal mammogram

How to Prepare for Your Annual Mammogram

Prepare for a mammogram screening at Dignity Health by:

• Not using powder, lotion, perfume, or deodorant under your arms — these substances create shadows on your mammogram
• Scheduling your mammogram when you will be most comfortable — your breasts may be more tender right before or during your period
• Sending any previous mammogram results to the testing center if you have had a mammogram at a another facility
• Telling the scheduler and technologist if you have breast implants — they may need to use special techniques that can take more time

What to Expect During & After Your Mammogram at Dignity Health

A mammogram involves undressing from the waist up. For your comfort, most mammogram centers employ female technologists.

During the mammogram, a radiologic technologist places one of your breasts on an X-ray plate and compresses it by lowering another plate. You will be asked to hold your breath while the X-ray is taken.

Mammograms are safe procedures, but can be slightly uncomfortable when the technologist compresses your breast between the plates. Mammograms use very small amounts of radiation — less than a standard chest X-ray. There is no recovery time needed after a mammogram.

Your health care provider will call you within a few days with the results. If an abnormality is found, you may need another mammogram or a different type of imaging test, such as an ultrasound.

Mammograms are a highly effective tool for breast cancer screening, but they are not foolproof.

It’s possible for a mammogram to suggest an abnormality when it is actually normal or to miss a breast cancer entirely.

Help take control of your well-being by knowing common breast cancer signs, getting regular breast exams, performing regular breast self-exams, and knowing what your breasts normally look like. For assistance, talk to your Dignity Health doctor today.