Download What is mammography?

What is mammography?
Presently, breast cancer can be treated with considerable success. Swedish research has progressed in the development of treatment forms for breast cancer. The results of treatment
have improved immensely by integrating efforts and resources from medicine, surgery and
radiation treatment. The early detection of breast cancer can make treatment both milder
and more effective.
A mammography exam, or mammogram, is an x-ray
image taken of the breast. A mammogram is taken
by:
• Women undergoing a health check, or screening.
• Women who have themselves noticed an abnormality/lump or who have other symptoms with their
breasts. They have been referred by a physician.
• Women who attend annual checks after operations.
Mammography screening
Today, all women in a certain age interval are offered
mammography screening. Each respective county
council decides which age interval is to receive the examination. The National Board of Health and Welfare
recommend that county councils offer mammography
screening to women aged 40-74 years old with an 18
month interval if they are younger than 55 and, a two
year interval if they are over 55. In Västra Götaland,
management has decided on a 21 month interval
between mammography screenings for all age groups.
How is the procedure performed?
In a mammography examination two x-ray images per
breast are taken at two different angles. The breast is
compressed between two plates for a few seconds.
Breast compression is necessary in order to produce
sharp and clear images. The whole procedure takes
only a few minutes and is performed by personnel
who are trained in mammography screening.
The x-ray images or film is then read by a radiologist, a doctor specialising in mammography. At
Unilabs, all mammogram images are assessed by
two entirely independent radiologists. This is called
double reading – four eyes see better than two – and
increases the reliability and accuracy of the reading.
Sometimes, an x-ray image needs to be retaken.
If the radiologist requires additional images and, if a
change or abnormality is detected in the breast, you
will be notified and called for further examinations of
mammogram images and possibly other investigational tests. In the event that you are recalled, this does
not necessarily mean that you have breast cancer.
After mammography screening, the results are sent
to your address directly within two to three weeks.
Advantages and disadvantages of mammography screening
• Regular mammography screening makes it possible, in most cases, to detect breast cancer sooner
than you, yourself, can feel it. Breast cancer which is
detected early is seldom life-threatening. Scientific investigations have shown that breast cancer mortality
may be reduced by 30-45% through mammography
screening.
• No method of detecting breast cancer is 100%
accurate, and mammography is no exception.
Occasionally mammography image abnormalities can
be seen that look suspicious, but on further examination, do not turn out to be cancerous. This happens
in approximately two cases per 100 mammograms. As
a rule, only a few additional mammography images are
required and usually an ultrasound examination for conclusive evaluation. Sometimes a biopsy may be needed
and, though rarely, a minor breast operation.
• Mammography screening can not detect all cancerous tumours – some occur in the interval between a
negative screening mammogram and the subsequent
scheduled screening mammogram. This may be because
the tumour has a high growth rate or that it does not
produce any signs of abnormality on the mammography
images.
• Mammograms can detect breast cancer at a very early
stage. It is unlikely that all of these early cancerous changes will go on to develop into “dangerous” cancer. The
use of screening mammography increases the detection
of abnormal tissue growths or early stage cancer which
would perhaps never have developed into “dangerous”
cancer.
• When undergoing a mammogram, patients are exposed
to a very low dose of radiation. This may be compared
to background radiation, which everyone is exposed to
from space, the ground and from natural radioactivity in
the individual human body over a period of two months.
According to the Swedish Radiation Safety Authority
the risk of injury from radiation is negligible with regular
as well as recurring examinations. When the breast is
compressed the x-rays have a shorter route through the
breast, which reduces the dose, already very low, of
radiation even further.
Examples of changes to the breast:
• A new lump in the breast or change in the contour of
the breast.
• Dimpling of the skin or nipple.
• Bloody or clear discharge from the nipple
The examination results are sent to the physician who
wrote the referral.
How common is breast cancer?
Fear of the detection of cancer is natural. In Sweden,
about 7 000 cases of breast cancer are diagnosed every
year. This makes breast cancer the most common form
of cancer in women. Approximately one in every nine
women is affected by breast cancer during her lifetime.
How to self-exam your breasts
Tumours can sometimes arise very quickly. This is why
you need to make a habit of regularly self-examining
your breasts. It is best to perform the examination on a
specific day every month.
Anyone who suspects or discovers a lump in the
breast should immediately contact a physician. It is important to get help on determining what kind of change
you have detected. Not all changes in the breast are
cancer. Tumours of the breast are more often benign
(non-cancerous) than malignant (cancerous).
Mammography referral
Mammography examinations, outside routine screening,
occur on referral from a physician.
All changes in the breast should be taken seriously
and investigated. If you detect a change in your breast,
you should contact your district healthcare centre or a
breast clinic.
www.unilabs.se
ENGELSKA
The importance of
regular mammography
One in nine women in Sweden develops breast cancer, making it the most common form of cancer
among women. Scientific studies have shown that mortality in breast cancer can be reduced by
20-40% through early detection using mammography. Early detection can also mean the treatment
is gentler and more effective. A mammogram screening is an X-ray examination of the breasts.
Thanks to the special X-ray technology, which provides detailed images, tumours can be detected
before they cause any symptoms or can even be felt in the breast. Unilabs performs mammogram
screening as a preventive measure.
The average size of tumours/changes that can be found:
1. When you examine your own breasts.
2. When a doctor examines your breasts.
3. When you come for your first mammogram.
4. When you go for regular mammograms.*
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* Regular check-ups provide previous x-rays for comparison, making it easier to see new changes.
Who should undergo mammogram screening?
Unilabs offers women between the ages of 40 and 74
mammogram screenings at 18-24 month intervals. Between
these screenings, you should examine your breasts yourself
for any visible or noticeable changes. All mammography
examinations outside the screening programme require a
referral from a doctor.
The invitation to have a mammogram is sent out automatically.
Is it difficult for you to attend at the time proposed in the
invitation? Please contact us, and we will change it to a time
that suits you.
What happens in an examination?
The examination is carried out by female staff who are specially
trained in mammography examinations. First, you will meet a
radiology nurse, and you will be asked some questions. You
will then undress to the waist. The radiology nurse examines
your breasts, and notes if you have any visible changes, for
example birthmarks, which may be visible on the X-ray image
and be misinterpreted as a tumour. You stand during the
X-ray examination. You rest one breast at a time between two
plates, which are pressed together for a few seconds. This is
done mainly to allow the picture to be sharp and clear while
keeping the radiation dose low. The entire examination takes
15–30 minutes.
The images are then checked by radiologists specialising in
mammography. At Unilabs, all mammograms are checked by
two radiologists independently of each other. This is called
double reading, and it improves reliability. You usually get the
results within a couple of weeks.
Sometimes, the images taken during the examination are not
good enough for a reliable assessment. If this happens, we will
invite you to return for another examination.
unilabs aB is a privately owned company which has been commissioned by county councils and regions
to carry out health checks using mammography/screening. We offer all women between the ages of
40 and 74 screenings at 18-24 month intervals, depending on your county council. You can call our customer
services team on 0771-40 77 20.
How to do a breast self-exam
Do the check regularly, at least once a month. If you feel any change, contact your physician.
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In the shower
Lather the breast with soap and lift your left arm.
Use your right hand and feel through every part of the
breast with your finger tips. It should feel as it did the
last time. Examine the other breast in the same way.
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In front of the mirror
Let your arms hang by the sides of your body. Look
at the breast for areas that are creased or wrinkled, if
there are dimples or changes in the skin. Place your
hands behind your neck and check to see if there are
any differences in the form or contour of the breast.
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In bed
Lie on your back and put a cushion under your left
shoulder. Place your left arm behind your head. Use
your right hand to feel through the left breast. Start
with the outer area and feel through the entire breast,
by moving the fingertips in small circular movements
inwards towards the nipple. Repeat the procedure on
the other breast.
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On a bench/worktop
Rest your arm on, for example, a bench or back of
a chair and use circular movements in order to feel
around the area between the breast, armpit and
upper arm as well as around the upper arm itself.
Examine both sides.