Joe Arringtion Cancer Center

BSE Card Download | Contact Info | Breast Health Info | Mammography |
Osteoporosis | Services Offered | Understanding Breast Cancer

JACC
4101 22nd Place
Lubbock, Texas 79410

phone: 806-725-8000
fax: 806-723-6412

General Information:
info@joearrington.org

Mammography

Download: Mammography Video

Amammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Diagnostic mammography is used to find breast disease in women who have symptoms such as the changes listed above. Screening mammography is used to look for breast disease in women who are asymptomatic, that is, they appear to have no breast problems. Screening mammography usually involves two views (x-ray pictures) of each breast. For some patients, such as women with breast implants, additional pictures may be needed to include as much breast tissue as possible. Women who are breast-feeding can still get mammograms. They can express their breast milk before the mammogram. Although breast x-rays have been performed for more than 70 years, modern mammography has only existed since 1969. That was the first year x-ray units specifically for breast imaging were available. Modern mammography equipment designed for breast x-rays uses very low levels of radiation, usually a dose of about 0.1 to 0.2 rads per picture. Strict guidelines are in place to ensure that mammography equipment is safe and uses the lowest dose of radiation possible. Many people are concerned about the exposure to x-rays, but the level of radiation in modern mammography does not significantly increase the risk for breast cancer. To put dose into perspective, if a woman with breast cancer is treated with radiation, she will receive several thousands rads. If she had yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 and continuing until she was 90, she will have received 20 to 40 rads. As another example, one mammogram exposes a woman to roughly the same amount of radiation as flying from New York to California on a commercial jet. For a mammogram, the breast is pressed between 2 plates to flatten and spread the tissue. Although this may be uncomfortable for a moment, it is necessary to produce a good, "readable" mammogram. The compression only lasts a few seconds, and the entire procedure for screening mammography takes about 20 minutes. This procedure produces a black and white image of the breast tissue on a large sheet of film that is read or interpreted by a radiologist. The doctor reading the films will look for several types of changes:

Calcifications, or microcalcifications, are tiny mineral deposits within the breast tissue that appear as small white spots on the film. They may occur singly or in clusters. They are a sign of changes within the breast and can be either carefully watched by additional, periodic mammograms or examined by biopsy (removal of a small amount of breast tissue). They may be caused by benign breast conditions or, less often, by breast cancer.
A mass, which may occur with or without calcifications, is another important change that can be seen on a mammogram. Masses can be many things, including cysts and fibroadenomas, but they may be cancer and usually should be biopsied if they are not fluid-filled cysts.
A cyst, is a collection of fluid in a small sac in the breast. It can feel like a lump, usually soft, in the breast. Either a breast ultrasound or removal of the fluid with a needle (aspiration) is used to confirm that a mass, or lump, is a cyst. It is very rare for a cyst to be cancerous. If a cyst has ultrasound features that are suggestive of cancer, fluid removed from the cyst will be examined to look for malignant cells.

A mammogram cannot prove that an abnormal area is cancer. To confirm whether cancer is present, a small amount of tissue must be removed and examined under a microscope. This procedure is called a biopsy. You should also be aware that mammography is imperfect at finding breast cancer. If you have a breast lump, you should have it checked by your doctor, even if your mammogram is normal. Finally, mammography is less effective in younger women, usually because their breasts are dense, which can obscure a tumor. Since most breast cancers occur in older women, this is not a major problem. But it is for young women who have a genetic risk factor for breast cancer. Breast cancer often develops at a younger age in these women. For this reason, some doctors are now suggesting MRI for screening in this situation.

ACBC FAQ

How long will it take to receive your mammogram results?
You should receive your results within a week. The results are sent to both the patient and to the patient’s primary care physician.

Does the compression or the actual mammogram cause cancer?
Neither the compression nor the mammogram itself causes cancer. Many people are concerned about the exposure to x-rays, and rightly so, but the level of radiation in up-to-date mammograms does not significantly increase the risk for breast cancer. To put dose into perspective, a woman who receives radiation as a treatment for breast cancer will receive several thousands units of radiation. If a woman had yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 years and continuing until 90, she will have received 10 units of radiation.

Why do you have to compress the breast?
In order to perform a mammogram, the breast is compressed to flatten and spread the tissue. Although this may be temporarily uncomfortable, it is necessary in order to produce a good mammogram. The compression only lasts a few seconds,and the entire procedure for screening mammography takes about 20 minutes.

What are calcifications?
Calcifications, or microcalcifications, are tiny mineral deposits within the breast tissue which appear as small white spots on the film. They may occur singly or in clusters. They are a sign of changes within the breast that can either be monitored by additional, periodic mammograms, or can be examined by biopsy (removal of a small amount of breast tissue). They may be caused by benign breast conditions, or, less often, by breast cancer.

What causes calcifications?
Calcifications are caused when minerals from duct secretions collect in an area and harden. These ducts are found in the breast tissue. These deposits may occur singly or in clusters.

Who reads the mammogram?
A radiologist will read your mammogram. After the radiologist reads the mammogram, he will send a report to both you and your primary care physician.

Why do I have take off my deodorant before having a mammogram?
Sometimes, the minerals and ingredients in deodorants can show up on the mammogram. By removing the deodorant, you are removing the chance of a false reading on the mammogram.

How often do I need a mammogram?
Following the American Cancer Society's guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer improves the chances that breast cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage and treated successfully. Women aged 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year.

Between the ages of 20 and 39, women should have a clinical breast examination by a health professional every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year. Women aged 20 or older should perform breast self-examination (BSE) every month. By doing the exam regularly, you get to know how your breasts normally feel and you can more readily detect any change.

If a change occurs, such as development of a lump or swelling in the breast or underarm area, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain or retraction (turning inward), redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin, or a discharge other than breast milk, you should see your health care provider as soon as possible for evaluation. However, remember that most of the time, these breast changes are not cancer.

Does a mammogram show everything?
Unfortunately, a mammogram does not show everything in the breast tissue. However, mammograms are the leading detector in breast cancer. If a mammogram is unclear, then an additional mammogram or diagnostic tests may be required. According to the American Cancer Society, “only 1 or 2 mammograms out of every 1,000 lead to a diagnosis of cancer. Approximately 10% of women will require additional mammography. Don't be alarmed if this happens to you. Only 8%-10% of those women will need a biopsy, and 80% of those biopsies will not be cancer.”

When are they going to come out with a mammogram that doesn’t compress the breast?
Hopefully, with the rapid advances in technology, a new mammogram machine that doesn’t require breast compression will be developed in the near future. Significant strides have been made, but at the present time, the breast has to be compressed to get a clear reading.

BSE Card Download \| Contact Info \| Breast Health Info \| Mammography \| Osteoporosis \| Services Offered \| Understanding Breast Cancer		JACC 4101 22nd Place Lubbock, Texas 79410 phone: 806-725-8000 fax: 806-723-6412 General Information: info@joearrington.org
Mammography
Download: Mammography Video Amammogram is an x-ray of the breast. Diagnostic mammography is used to find breast disease in women who have symptoms such as the changes listed above. Screening mammography is used to look for breast disease in women who are asymptomatic, that is, they appear to have no breast problems. Screening mammography usually involves two views (x-ray pictures) of each breast. For some patients, such as women with breast implants, additional pictures may be needed to include as much breast tissue as possible. Women who are breast-feeding can still get mammograms. They can express their breast milk before the mammogram. Although breast x-rays have been performed for more than 70 years, modern mammography has only existed since 1969. That was the first year x-ray units specifically for breast imaging were available. Modern mammography equipment designed for breast x-rays uses very low levels of radiation, usually a dose of about 0.1 to 0.2 rads per picture. Strict guidelines are in place to ensure that mammography equipment is safe and uses the lowest dose of radiation possible. Many people are concerned about the exposure to x-rays, but the level of radiation in modern mammography does not significantly increase the risk for breast cancer. To put dose into perspective, if a woman with breast cancer is treated with radiation, she will receive several thousands rads. If she had yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 and continuing until she was 90, she will have received 20 to 40 rads. As another example, one mammogram exposes a woman to roughly the same amount of radiation as flying from New York to California on a commercial jet. For a mammogram, the breast is pressed between 2 plates to flatten and spread the tissue. Although this may be uncomfortable for a moment, it is necessary to produce a good, "readable" mammogram. The compression only lasts a few seconds, and the entire procedure for screening mammography takes about 20 minutes. This procedure produces a black and white image of the breast tissue on a large sheet of film that is read or interpreted by a radiologist. The doctor reading the films will look for several types of changes: Calcifications, or microcalcifications, are tiny mineral deposits within the breast tissue that appear as small white spots on the film. They may occur singly or in clusters. They are a sign of changes within the breast and can be either carefully watched by additional, periodic mammograms or examined by biopsy (removal of a small amount of breast tissue). They may be caused by benign breast conditions or, less often, by breast cancer. A mass, which may occur with or without calcifications, is another important change that can be seen on a mammogram. Masses can be many things, including cysts and fibroadenomas, but they may be cancer and usually should be biopsied if they are not fluid-filled cysts. A cyst, is a collection of fluid in a small sac in the breast. It can feel like a lump, usually soft, in the breast. Either a breast ultrasound or removal of the fluid with a needle (aspiration) is used to confirm that a mass, or lump, is a cyst. It is very rare for a cyst to be cancerous. If a cyst has ultrasound features that are suggestive of cancer, fluid removed from the cyst will be examined to look for malignant cells. A mammogram cannot prove that an abnormal area is cancer. To confirm whether cancer is present, a small amount of tissue must be removed and examined under a microscope. This procedure is called a biopsy. You should also be aware that mammography is imperfect at finding breast cancer. If you have a breast lump, you should have it checked by your doctor, even if your mammogram is normal. Finally, mammography is less effective in younger women, usually because their breasts are dense, which can obscure a tumor. Since most breast cancers occur in older women, this is not a major problem. But it is for young women who have a genetic risk factor for breast cancer. Breast cancer often develops at a younger age in these women. For this reason, some doctors are now suggesting MRI for screening in this situation.
ACBC FAQ
How long will it take to receive your mammogram results? You should receive your results within a week. The results are sent to both the patient and to the patient’s primary care physician. Does the compression or the actual mammogram cause cancer? Neither the compression nor the mammogram itself causes cancer. Many people are concerned about the exposure to x-rays, and rightly so, but the level of radiation in up-to-date mammograms does not significantly increase the risk for breast cancer. To put dose into perspective, a woman who receives radiation as a treatment for breast cancer will receive several thousands units of radiation. If a woman had yearly mammograms beginning at age 40 years and continuing until 90, she will have received 10 units of radiation. Why do you have to compress the breast? In order to perform a mammogram, the breast is compressed to flatten and spread the tissue. Although this may be temporarily uncomfortable, it is necessary in order to produce a good mammogram. The compression only lasts a few seconds,and the entire procedure for screening mammography takes about 20 minutes. What are calcifications? Calcifications, or microcalcifications, are tiny mineral deposits within the breast tissue which appear as small white spots on the film. They may occur singly or in clusters. They are a sign of changes within the breast that can either be monitored by additional, periodic mammograms, or can be examined by biopsy (removal of a small amount of breast tissue). They may be caused by benign breast conditions, or, less often, by breast cancer. What causes calcifications? Calcifications are caused when minerals from duct secretions collect in an area and harden. These ducts are found in the breast tissue. These deposits may occur singly or in clusters. Who reads the mammogram? A radiologist will read your mammogram. After the radiologist reads the mammogram, he will send a report to both you and your primary care physician. Why do I have take off my deodorant before having a mammogram? Sometimes, the minerals and ingredients in deodorants can show up on the mammogram. By removing the deodorant, you are removing the chance of a false reading on the mammogram. How often do I need a mammogram? Following the American Cancer Society's guidelines for the early detection of breast cancer improves the chances that breast cancer can be diagnosed at an early stage and treated successfully. Women aged 40 and older should have a screening mammogram every year. Between the ages of 20 and 39, women should have a clinical breast examination by a health professional every 3 years. After age 40, women should have a breast exam by a health professional every year. Women aged 20 or older should perform breast self-examination (BSE) every month. By doing the exam regularly, you get to know how your breasts normally feel and you can more readily detect any change. If a change occurs, such as development of a lump or swelling in the breast or underarm area, skin irritation or dimpling, nipple pain or retraction (turning inward), redness or scaliness of the nipple or breast skin, or a discharge other than breast milk, you should see your health care provider as soon as possible for evaluation. However, remember that most of the time, these breast changes are not cancer. Does a mammogram show everything? Unfortunately, a mammogram does not show everything in the breast tissue. However, mammograms are the leading detector in breast cancer. If a mammogram is unclear, then an additional mammogram or diagnostic tests may be required. According to the American Cancer Society, “only 1 or 2 mammograms out of every 1,000 lead to a diagnosis of cancer. Approximately 10% of women will require additional mammography. Don't be alarmed if this happens to you. Only 8%-10% of those women will need a biopsy, and 80% of those biopsies will not be cancer.” When are they going to come out with a mammogram that doesn’t compress the breast? Hopefully, with the rapid advances in technology, a new mammogram machine that doesn’t require breast compression will be developed in the near future. Significant strides have been made, but at the present time, the breast has to be compressed to get a clear reading.