How is mammography performed?
Modern mammography can be film or digital. The first option has been used since the 20s of the twentieth century. The method is high quality and productive. But it also has disadvantages:
- if the tumor is small, it is quite difficult to visualize it;
- there are no options to change the characteristics of the image;
- in technical terms, the process is labor-intensive and complex when processing images;
- special conditions will be required for the examination;
- information is not transmitted electronically.
With all due respect to this method, the digital survey option is more productive. The advantages of its use are:
- the opportunity to save on materials, since there is no need to constantly change the film;
- lower radiation doses;
- accuracy of disease detection in the early period;
- ability to send results by email.
Now there is a gradual replacement of all film mammographs with digital ones.
In the process of mammographic examination of the mammary glands, it is necessary to use the influence of X-rays. They act on the body for a short time, without causing danger to the woman, since they have a low intensity of impact.
Indications for the study are:
- presence of breast diseases;
- clear definition of their source;
- measuring tumor size.
For women under 30 years of age, if they have never given birth, the presence of fibrocystic disease (mastopathy) is not typical. At 30 years of age and older, pregnant and postpartum women suffer from complications in 80% of cases. A young mother concentrates so much on caring for her baby that sometimes she stops taking care of her health and triggers an emerging disease. If mastopathy is diagnosed in a pregnant woman, treatment is complicated by a ban on taking most medications.
If you undergo a high-quality diagnosis in a timely manner, it will be much easier to cure the tumor. Therefore, you should not ignore the presence of atypical formations and compactions.
Women who have the following pathological conditions will also need to undergo a mammography examination:
- fibroadenoma, which is a benign neoplasm;
- with manifestations of mastopathy and mastitis;
- with neoplasms on the genital organs;
- if you are diagnosed with infertility;
- with excess weight;
- after previous surgical interventions on the mammary glands;
- in the presence of endocrine disorders.
As a diagnosis, this examination using an X-ray machine is indicated for patient complaints:
- for painful sensations in the chest area, if its size or shape has changed, in the presence of swelling;
- if compactions are detected;
- with sinking, swelling, redness, metamorphosis of the standard halo pattern.
The following examination using an X-ray machine is contraindicated:
- pregnant women;
- nursing mothers;
- women under 35 years of age, if their condition is not at risk.
At a young age, the reason for the density of gland tissue can interfere with the quality of indicators. Such women are indicated for ultrasound or MRI.
How to do a mammogram during menstruation? It is important to know the specifics of the examination technique. The procedure involves placing the breast inside the mammograph and applying slight pressure to the breast. Thus, the depth of the neoplasm is visualized. The ease of obtaining an image and the absence of discomfort for the patient during examination using an X-ray machine depend on the softness of the breast.
Is it possible to do this examination if I have silicone breast implants?
Yes, you can. Implants are not an obstacle to obtaining reliable results either with mammography, or with ultrasound examination, or with MRI of the mammary glands. The only thing you need to do is notify your doctor that you have silicone implants installed. Then he will adjust the X-ray parameters to obtain undistorted images. During the examination, slight pressure will be applied to the breast tissue, but it will not damage the implant. In addition, in such cases, after mammography, it is also recommended to undergo an ultrasound of the mammary glands.
Is it possible to have a mammogram during menstruation?
Mammography and the cycle are closely related. The breast at different periods of the cycle has a structure that is not the same in density. When your period is about to arrive, your breasts become tighter due to their swelling. Then the woman may feel discomfort from just one touch of the gland. There is no need to do analysis at this time. He will not be able to show the real situation.
Can I have a mammogram during my period? It is noted that days 5-12 of the cycle are the time when the breasts are especially soft. Your period has already ended, but ovulation has not yet occurred. There is time until the next breast swelling and it must be used to maximum benefit.
Sometimes the duration of menstruation exceeds 3 days, it turns out that the study should be done when menstruation has not yet ended. Then patients are concerned about the question, is it possible to do mammography during menstruation? Gynecologists do not clearly indicate how effective such a study is. More precisely, they do not establish the presence of critical days as a contraindication. When doing a mammogram of the mammary glands during menstruation, it is important to take into account their condition. If the breast is characterized by a dense structure due to the influence of hormones, there is no need to risk the quality of the analysis. It is better to wait 8–12 days from the start of menstruation.
Is it possible to have a mammogram while breastfeeding?
Yes, you can. X-ray radiation will not affect the quality or quantity of breast milk. It must be remembered that during this period the sensitivity of mammography will be reduced. This is due to the fact that in breastfeeding women, the density of breast tissue is increased, firstly, due to milk filling the ducts, and secondly, due to the proliferation of breast cells necessary for sufficient milk production. A partial solution to this problem may be to feed the baby right before the mammogram. The milk ducts will be temporarily empty, tissue density will decrease, and this will improve image quality.
On what day should I have a mammogram after my period?
Before performing such a diagnosis, it is important to clarify on what day to do a mammogram after menstruation. There is no exact formula for determining the day on which a mammogram is done. Despite this nuance, it is customary to divide patients into several types of categories, depending on how many days the discharge lasts during menstruation.
Let's look at these categories:
- Women with a menstrual cycle lasting 3 weeks. These are representatives of patients for whom mammography is performed on the fifth day from the start of menstruation, when there are optimal conditions for the analysis.
- Women who are 4 weeks pregnant and for whom mammography is recommended between 6 and 12 days after the start of menstruation. Then a state of relaxation of the glands is noted.
- Owners of a 35-day cycle. It should be noted that this cycle does not occur often. For women in this category, it will be necessary to reschedule the mammography examination for a period of 10 to 18 days from the start of menstruation. In patients with a long menstrual cycle, such terms will be maximum, since there is still time before ovulation.
As can be seen from the explanations on what day of menstruation the examination is done, it is important to calculate the timing so that there is time before ovulation occurs. Indeed, during the process there is an increased production of a hormone such as progesterone. Keeping a menstruation calendar will help you determine the day of your monthly cycle so that tests can be done successfully. It will help you find out the time of ovulation.
On average, the timing for which day of menstruation to do a mammogram ranges from 5 to 12 days.
Do I need any preparation for a mammogram?
No, this study does not require any preliminary preparation. Doctors do not recommend using powder deodorants on the armpits and décolleté in the morning before the procedure. In addition, as we said above, pressure will be applied to the mammary glands during the examination. Therefore, if you are characterized by increased sensitivity in the breasts during the premenstrual period, it is better to choose the date of examination after menstruation - this will help to avoid any unpleasant sensations.
Doctors' opinion
If we are wondering whether it is possible to do a mammogram during menstruation, we will seek advice from competent persons. Doctors note that when you need to do a mammogram, it is important to take into account the presence of certain features:
- Age restrictions. They are not available for ultrasound examination. The study is carried out regardless of how old the woman is, if there are reasons for diagnosis. It is recommended to undergo it if there are lumps in the mammary glands, bloody discharge from the nipples, deformation of the nipple, or the presence of “lemon peel” on the skin of the breast. There is no need to worry about the effects of radiation on the body. When it is important to exclude a serious problem, x-rays are not as harmful as the risk of cancer. But doctors say X-ray screening should not be done for young women every year. To regularly prescribe such a diagnosis, the patient’s age should be 35–40 years. Concomitant pathological conditions are taken into account. For younger ladies, it is better to limit yourself to ultrasound diagnostics. For women who have already reached menopause, there is no difference in the date of the test.
- Presence of implants. They are not a contraindication for X-ray examination. The only drawback is that their presence can complicate the process of examining the mammary glands. Therefore, you will need to make two projections due to the peculiarities of the breast structure. If the method is not effective, the doctor will raise the issue of conducting additional examinations with displacement of the synthetic liner. Only then will it be possible to fully compress the breast tissue and study their condition.
- If you have implants before your period, mammography should be done in the period 5-12 days between periods.
It is important to take into account doctors’ comments so that studies show accurate results.
Mammologist: at what age to visit
You should visit a gynecologist, dentist and therapist once a year. You should also consider visiting a mammologist, undergoing a preventive examination annually upon reaching the age of 25.
Diseases of the mammary glands are very insidious and tend to “sneak up” unnoticed. In addition, women do not always attach importance to some lumps or nodules in the breast, attributing them to “age” or anatomical features. It happens that the presence of any changes really does not pose a danger, and whether this is true or not can only be determined by a qualified doctor.
Who is recommended to undergo a breast ultrasound?
Breast ultrasound is usually recommended as a screening procedure for women under 40 years of age. For those over 40, mammography becomes the preferred method.
In addition, ultrasound is a highly informative auxiliary examination method for assessing the condition of the axillary lymph nodes or performing a biopsy. Ultrasound is also prescribed for anyone who has had suspicious areas of dense tissue in the mammary gland identified during mammography.
