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Mammograms: What You Need to Know

A mammogram is a specialized type of X-ray that uses low doses of radiation to check the health of your breasts. It helps doctors spot any changes or problems, such as lumps or abnormalities even before you notice them, or symptoms begin to appear. It is a quick and typically easy test that can play a big role in catching breast cancer early, when it is easiest to treat.

One of the best ways to catch breast cancer early is by having mammograms every year after age 40 — or earlier, if you have a family history. That’s because a mammogram can find breast cancer up to two years before a lump is large enough to feel. Early detection of breast cancer is important because it often means you are more likely to have treatment options that are less aggressive, while still maintaining positive treatment outcomes.

What Is a Mammogram

Mammography is the best tool for doctors to find breast cancer, as it captures crisp, digital X-ray images of the breasts and breast tissue that can help radiologists locate anything from benign cysts to cancer. There are two types of mammograms used to detect cancer: screening mammograms and diagnostic mammograms. 

Different Types of Mammograms & Imaging

At Houston Methodist Breast Care Centers, we perform both screening and diagnostic mammograms — using the most advanced imaging technology available — depending on a patient’s medical history and breast symptoms. We also perform breast ultrasounds, breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and molecular breast imaging (MBI).
Screening Mammograms
Diagnostic Mammograms
Screening Mammograms

A screening mammogram is a relatively quick (20 to 30 minutes) routine low-dose X-ray used to spot signs of breast cancer early, before any symptoms or lumps are felt. At Houston Methodist, our board-certified radiologists use advanced 3D technology to detect the smallest lumps and abnormalities with accuracy. 

Breast cancer screening through 3D digital mammograms — also known as digital breast imaging, digital mammography or breast tomosynthesis — provides the clearest pictures of your breasts, reducing the chance of being called back for follow-up imaging and improving the chance of catching breast cancer as early as possible. 

Generally, if the radiologist finds anything concerning with your mammogram, you will be notified right away. If everything is normal, you should receive your report within a few days.

 

Learn More About Screening Mammograms >

Diagnostic Mammograms

Diagnostic mammograms are used to both find and rule out breast cancer.  A diagnostic mammogram may be recommended after a screening mammogram shows an abnormal result, or you if you have a breast lump, focal pain or nipple discharge or have had an abnormal mammogram.

 

About 10% of women get called back to have a diagnostic mammogram after a screening mammogram. While unsettling, it is most often just precautionary. Women with dense breasts also may need a breast ultrasound, a minimally invasive way to screen for breast cancer.

 

Diagnostic mammograms will be read and interpreted the same day — results are typically available as the radiologist looks at the images while the patient is in the breast center.

 

Learn More About Diagnostic Mammograms >

Mammogram Information & Awareness

We know that the sheer volume of mammogram (and breast cancer) information out there can be overwhelming, so we have streamlined it below to make it easier for you to find what you need to know.
  • When to Get a Mammogram
  • What to Expect
  • Interpreting Your Results
  • Additional Breast Screenings
  • When to Get a Mammogram

    When to Get a Mammogram

    Houston Methodist breast care experts recommend women with an average risk of breast cancer should start having annual screening mammograms at age 40. If you have a higher risk for cancer (such as family history, increasing age, certain genetic mutations linked to breast cancer, like BRCA1 and BRCA 2, being overweight, a sedentary lifestyle or a poor diet), your doctor may recommend you start screening as young as age 30. 

    You should have a diagnostic mammogram if you get called back for more imaging after your screening mammogram, notice any changes at all in your breasts or show symptoms of breast cancer. Early signs of breast cancer include a lump in the breast, bloody discharge from the nipple, new pain in one spot that does not go away, and changes in the shape or texture of the nipple or breast.

  • What to Expect

    What to Expect During Your Mammogram

    The mammogram process is relatively quick and easy. Your technologist will walk you through each step during your appointment, but here is what you can expect when you get a mammogram at a Houston Methodist Breast Care Center:

     

    • First, you will remove your top and bra and put on the provided robe.
    • Then, a mammogram technologist will help position one of your breasts on the specialized X-ray machine.
    • Next, the machine will compress your breast for just a few seconds while the technologist takes an X-ray. This process is then repeated about two or three times for each breast. Each compression is very quick, and the entire imaging process lasts about five minutes.
    • Finally, you will get dressed and continue on with your day. 

    On the day of your exam, make sure to wear comfortable clothes — you will only need to remove your bra and top. And don’t use deodorant, antiperspirant, powders, lotions, creams or perfumes under your arms or on or under your breast — they can interfere with your test results.

     

    Read our On Health blog article on What to Expect During a Mammogram.

  • Interpreting Your Results

    How to Interpret Your Mammogram Results

    Radiologists use a standard system to describe mammogram findings and results — and this scoring system is the same for both screening and diagnostic mammography. This system (called the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System or BI-RADS) sorts the results into categories numbered 0 through 6.

    With these categories, doctors can describe what they find on a mammogram using the same words and terms, making communicating about the test results and following up after the tests easier.

    • BI-RADS 0-2: At Houston Methodist, if our radiologists see something on a screening mammogram and want patients to come in for additional images, they are given a BI-RADS 0. This means they will come in for a diagnostic mammogram to evaluate the area of concern. For "normal" mammograms that don't show any abnormal or questionable findings, a BI-RADS 1 or BI-RADS 2 is given.
    • BI-RADS 3: A BI-RADS 3 means the radiologist would like to follow something — it is called a “probably benign” category and means that the finding has a 98% likelihood of being benign.
    • BI-RADS 4-6: A BI-RADS 4 means the findings are indeterminate and a biopsy is recommended. BI-RADS 5 means it is almost definitely cancer and needs a biopsy, while BI-RADS 6 is only used for findings on a mammogram (or ultrasound or MRI) that have already been shown to be cancer by a previous biopsy. Imaging may be used in this way to see how well the cancer is responding to treatment.

     

  • Additional Breast Screenings

    Additional Breast Screenings & Services

    There are other breast screenings that typically occur in conjunction with mammograms. These include:

     

    • Breast ultrasound – uses sound waves and their echoes to make computer pictures of the inside of the breast. A breast ultrasound can show certain breast changes, like fluid-filled cysts, that can be more difficult to see on mammograms. Read our On Health blog article How Is a Breast Ultrasound Different From a Mammogram?
    • Breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) – an extremely sensitive test to look for breast cancer indicators using magnetic fields to view the body. It also may be used for breast cancer treatment planning and performing an MRI biopsy
    • Molecular breast imaging (MBI) – a technique used to identify tumors in dense breasts.
Get Exceptional Care at a Houston Methodist Breast Care Center

Get Exceptional Care at a Houston Methodist Breast Care Center

 

Mammograms save lives. According to the American College of Radiology, mammography has helped reduce breast cancer mortality in the U.S. by nearly 40% since 1990. Our Breast Care Centers offer:

 

  • Advanced 3D technology to detect the smallest lumps and abnormalities with accuracy
  • Board-certified radiologists with the expertise required for early cancer detection
  • Continuity of care to track your health history over time for early detection
  • Acceptance of most major insurance plans
  • No doctor's order needed

 

Read our On Health blog article on 5 Things to Consider When Choosing Where to Get Your Annual Mammogram.

Schedule a Mammogram at a Houston Methodist Breast Care Center

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Frequently Asked Questions About Mammograms

Do mammograms hurt?

Breast sensitivity is very individualized, and whether a woman finds a mammogram to be uncomfortable varies based not only on her pain tolerance but also how her body changes from year to year.

If you’re nervous about the potential for discomfort, the most important thing you can do is communicate the concern with your mammogram technologist. Compression is a critical part of getting the clearest image possible and can’t be avoided, but your technologist will be sensitive to your needs and comfort level.

Are mammograms safe?

The benefit of an annual screening mammogram far outweighs any associated risks — including the small amount of radiation exposure during imaging. In fact, the newer mammogram machines used today expose women to only very low levels of radiation, comparable to the background amounts experienced while flying on an airplane.
Women with breast implants may also worry about the risk of implant rupture, but this is extremely rare — especially for newer types of breast implants.

How is a screening mammogram different than a diagnostic mammogram?

A screening mammogram is performed when a woman is due for her annual breast cancer screening. Like other wellness check-ups, this test isn’t meant to answer a specific clinical or diagnostic question. Rather, its purpose is to periodically check the status of the breasts to ensure they’re healthy.

A diagnostic mammogram is performed when a woman is experiencing breast cancer symptoms or after receiving an abnormal screening mammogram result. This is still an imaging study, but additional views of the breast are typically taken during a diagnostic mammogram, and the radiologist often reads the images in real time. Additionally, a targeted breast ultrasound may be performed to more closely visualize the area of concern.

(Related: Screening Versus Diagnostic Mammograms: What You Can Expect)

How often should I get a mammogram?

Women who are asymptomatic and have an average risk of breast cancer should begin mammograms at the age of 40 and continue being screened every single year up until good health, which is a personal decision for each woman.

A diagnostic mammogram may be needed before the age of 40 or before a woman’s next screening mammogram if she is experiencing symptoms of breast cancer.

Additionally, having a higher risk of breast cancer warrants earlier screening, before the age of 40. Depending on the level of risk, an individualized plan regarding the type and frequency of breast cancer screening will be recommended.

How long does a mammogram take?

A screening mammogram takes approximately 15 minutes.

 

This time accounts for you to undress, be positioned for imaging, have your images taken and get dressed again.

Your mammogram technologist is there to help and will be patient with you — so your appointment may take longer than 15 minutes, depending on your comfort level.

How do I find mammograms near me?

Houston Methodist Breast Care Centers offer:

  • Advanced 3D technology to detect the smallest lumps and abnormalities with accuracy
  • Board-certified radiologists with the expertise required for early cancer detection
  • Continuity of care to track your health history over time for early detection
  • Acceptance of most major insurance plans

 

(Related: 5 Things to Consider When Choosing Where to Get Your Annual Mammogram)

 

Schedule your screening mammogram at one of our convenient locations >

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