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Breast radiography or mammography is a highly informative diagnostic method that detects various pathologies in the breast at the earliest stages of disease development.
Very often, a breast x-ray helps to find the cause of poor health or negative test results already at the moment when the disease has arisen, but doctors cannot yet determine it with palpation.
Features of the procedure
Breast x-rays are performed on a mammograph, which, like all other x-ray machines, works with the help of radiation.
This fact is repulsive for many patients, especially for those who outwardly do not see any problems with the health of their breasts. However, you should not be afraid, because on modern devices, women receive the smallest dose of radiation during mammography, which cannot adversely affect their health. It is necessary to undergo an x-ray of the mammary glands for prophylaxis once every 2 years after the age of 40.
Such diagnostics are carried out in any medical institutions of a public or private nature, in oncological centers, gynecological care centers, treatment and diagnostic centers. To undergo a mammogram, you need to take a referral from a gynecologist, oncologist or mammologist who accept patients at the place of registration or in private paid clinics.
It is necessary to conduct an x-ray of the breast for the purpose of prevention or in the direction of doctors for the diagnosis of oncological tumors.
In European countries, women must undergo mammography after the age of 40 – once every 2 years, and after 50 years – once a year.
At the same time, women should not have complaints during a preventive examination.
At a young age, it is important to undergo an annual ultrasound examination of the mammary glands for the purpose of prevention, and if any symptoms are detected, seals or other anomalies occur, it is important to urgently undergo x-rays.
Pregnancy is a contraindication to the use of mammography, since X-ray radiation is practically safe for an adult, but can harm the development of the fetus.
Preparing for and performing a mammogram
In order to plan a breast x-ray, you need to strictly adhere to the schedule of the woman’s menstrual cycle. The examination should fall on the first days after the end of menstruation, since on the eve of menstruation, changes occur in the mammary glands due to the hormonal background, and all examination data will be of little information to doctors.
However, if there is an urgent need for examination, it is possible to conduct mammography at any period of the menstrual cycle, as well as during the onset of menopause.
Before going for a mammogram, a woman needs to take a shower, after which no cosmetic products, including creams, deodorants, etc., should be applied to the skin in the breast area.
During the procedure, the woman undresses and removes any metal objects from her upper body. The specialist compresses each mammary gland in turn with a special apparatus. In this case, it is important that the axillary lymph nodes must fall into the X-ray study area.
Manipulations during breast x-rays can cause some discomfort, but it should be endured, because this is the only way a specialist can obtain all the data of interest to him. The procedure takes a couple of minutes, after which the patient must wait for the pictures and the conclusion of the radiologist.
Analysis of mammography results
The radiologist analyzes the X-ray data of the mammary glands, and according to his conclusion, the attending physician who sent for the examination makes a decision regarding the diagnosis and prescribes the appropriate therapy.
Breast radiography can reveal diseases such as calcifications, cysts, benign or malignant neoplasms, nodular mastopathy, inflammatory processes and changes in tissue, abscess, sclerotic changes in glandular tissue according to age, change in the course of the milk ducts.
At the same time, cancerous formations in the mammary glands are immediately visible to specialists on x-rays by such signs as darkening of the zones from tumor nodules, pronounced shadows from microcalcifications, restructuring of the glandular tissue, enlarged lymph nodes, retraction of the nipples inward, deformed vascular pattern, pulling pathological shadows to the chest wall.
Accumulations of calcifications are the primary sign of a cancerous tumor, which can only be determined by a highly qualified or experienced radiologist. Small calcifications can often be found in the gland on mammograms, but they do not always indicate cancer.
Sometimes, during routine x-rays, doctors detect benign nodes in the mammary gland, which is not a terrible sign, but they can degenerate into a malignant tumor.
If the breast has increased externally, on the X-ray, the specialist can detect such signs that indicate certain pathologies, such as: changes in the glandular structure of the tissue and diffuse accumulations of calcium salts during inflammatory processes; localized deformity or localized accumulations of calcium, indicative of cancer; disturbed vascular course, which can display both mastopathy and tumors.
Thus, the importance of breast radiography is explained by the fact that with its help it is possible to detect oncological diseases at the earliest stages, which as a result will help save the life and health of the patient. In this regard, experts talk about the significant benefits of the study, compared with the harm from the radiation that enters the human body during diagnosis.