Potential Benefits and Risks of Mammograms

 


Question 5: What is a screening mammogram?

Answer 5: A screening mammogram is a x-ray of the breast. Screening mammograms are performed on a routine basis on women to detect breast cancer when it is small, before it can be found by a woman or her doctor. Each breast is x-rayed from the side and from the top. Your breasts are pressed between two pieces of plastic just enough so all the breast tissue is seen on the mammogram. Pressing your breasts for a few seconds is not harmful and minimizes the necessary x-ray dose.

Screening mammogram



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