It is a breast x-ray film taken at a low dose. It is drawn to detect abnormalities in the breast that are too small to be detected by examination. The disease is detected before the stage to be detected by examination. Women who have exceeded the age of 40 should have a mammogram every year or every two years and have a breast examination by a specialist physician.
How and when to get a mammogram?
During a mammogram, the breast is slightly compressed for a few seconds between the two layers. For this reason, it is recommended to be examined when the breasts are least sensitive, especially for women with sensitive breasts. The week following the end of the menstrual period is the time when the tenderness of the breasts is the least. In addition, the week following the end of menstruation, the swelling of the breasts due to hormonal reasons is at the lowest level and better results are obtained during this time.
For these reasons, unless there is a special situation, it is recommended that mammography be performed in the week following the end of the menstrual period.
What to pay attention to when having a mammogram Should she do it?
She is naked from the waist up during the mammogram. For this reason, it is recommended to wear a two-piece dress when coming to the shoot. In this way, the top of the waist can be easily removed during shooting. Deodorant, talcum powder, lotion, etc. should not be applied to the armpits, as they may affect the film.
What happens when a mass is detected on mammography?
When a mass is detected in the breast, is it cancer or another disease? that should be investigated. Not every mass detected in the breast is cancer. Therefore, when a suspicious mass is detected in the breast, there is no need to be alarmed and panic. When a mass is detected in the breast, it is necessary to consult a physician and perform further examinations.
What is Digital Mammography?
Mammography is the X-ray imaging of the breast. In this imaging, two-dimensional images of the breast tissue are taken by means of low-dose ionizing radiation.
In digital mammography, special digital plates are used instead of x-ray film and the images obtained on this plate are transferred to digital media and processed with special digital algorithms and evaluated by the radiologist on high resolution special monitors developed for mammography evaluation.
These devices The radiation dose applied to the patient is lower than the old systems and the image quality is higher.
The shooting time is shorter and the radiation dose is 30 to 40 percent less than the classical system. Filming is more comfortable. Obtained films can be archived and even if the films are lost, they can be compared with previous examinations since the images are archived. At the same time, mammographic films are reviewed by computers and false negative results are prevented, thanks to the computer aided diagnosis (CAD Computer Aided Diagnosis) system. Vacuum core biopsy can be performed from the breast through a special system, and the definitive diagnosis of microcalcifications, which is an early sign of breast cancer, can be made much more easily.
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis
Current technological developments have introduced a new revolution in breast imaging. presents an option.
In normal mammography, images are obtained in two dimensions. This reduces the quality of examination, especially in dense breasts, young women in the premenopausal period, breasts with prominent fibrocystic features, and makes it difficult to detect small lesions and abnormalities hidden among dense tissues.
In tomosynthesis mammography examination, a large number of 3D images of the breast with a thickness of 1 mm are obtained. This makes it possible to detect the misleading images that arise as a result of the overlapping of the tissues or the small abnormalities and lesions hidden among the tissues in this confusion.
In this study, as in digital mammography, radiation doses are low. In the standard examination, additional extractions that need to be taken frequently, especially in dense breasts, are eliminated with the option of tomosynthesis.
In suspicious examinations, the result is reached quickly and unnecessary biopsies can be prevented. Although uncomfortable for women, it is of great importance in the early detection of breast cancer. Studies have shown a 60-70% reduction in breast cancer-related deaths in the female population who regularly perform mammography checks. It is scientifically known that mammography does not cause breast cancer. Breast ultrasound m It is not a substitute for amography. Because ultrasound is an examination that gives information about the contents of the masses that have already formed in the breast tissue. Ideally, two examinations should be performed at the same time.
Thanks to regular mammography and breast USG, breast cancer can now be diagnosed at 4-5 mm in size, before it turns into cancer, in today's technology. The lesion, which can be detected so early, grows by nature and becomes a palpable mass over time. It takes a minimum of five years to arrive. Every woman between the ages of 35 and 40 should have a mammogram once a year after the age of 40. Depending on the risk factors, the annual mammography age may be lowered below the age of 40. After the age of 65, mammographic follow-ups can be performed every two years.
Digital mammography is two-dimensional images of the breast compressed between two plates, obtained using X-rays. The difference from classical mammography is that the image is obtained in high resolution in digital media, not on film.
The difference between the traditional photographic film and digital camera can be compared. Since the images are obtained in digital environment, there is no movie reading process. Inspection time is much shorter. In addition, images can be stored in digital media, copied images can be taken or shared with relevant people in digital media.
It can be shared with the relevant people in the digital environment in the follow-up examinations. Comparing archive images in digital media in follow-up examinations is extremely important for diagnosis.
Another great advantage of digital mammography is that it reduces the amount of radiation received to very low doses compared to classical methods. The maximum accepted dose is the limit of 2 rad (radiation absorbed dose) per breast and exposure, which is well below the dose taken by chest X-ray and is approximately one dental film dose. In this way, the amount of dose taken throughout life is reduced.
Mammary tissue is a mixture of mammary glands and fatty tissue areas that fill between them. Since breast tissue contains more fatty tissue after menopause and in advanced ages, it should not be evaluated with mammography. is easier. Therefore, the diagnostic value of mammography is higher in advanced ages. Sensitivity of mammography in early diagnosis of breast cancer; It is lower in premenopausal and young people with a large amount of mammary glands, and in people with dense breasts rich in mammary glands. It is diagnostically superior.
The sensitivity of mammography in detecting early breast cancer can generally decrease to 80%. In this case, it is known that breast examination and ultrasonography examination by using the breast check-up package regularly once a year together with mammography reduces the rate of death from breast cancer in women between the ages of 40-70.
The amount of radiation received during digital mammography is at very low doses with the developing technology and can be ignored considering the expected benefit from the examination. To compare, the dose taken during digital mammography examination of both breasts is equivalent to the environmental radiation dose received during a 7-8 hour flight.
Digital breast tomosynthesis Examination
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, or 3D mammography, is the latest technological level digital mammography has reached today. During the routine mammography examination, the entire breast thickness was evaluated in one plane with static 2D images. Overlapping tissues sometimes close the lesions depending on the density of the breast and make it impossible to evaluate the tissue details.
With 3D mammography or Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, in addition to routine mammography examination, with 3D mammography or Digital Breast Tomosynthesis, in addition to routine mammography examination, tissues can be differentiated from each other. and details are evaluated more clearly.
In this way, more lesions are defined and the mammographic criteria of the lesions are evaluated more clearly. Considering that the biggest factor that reduces the diagnostic value of mammography is the overlapping dense breast structure, cross-sectional imaging Digital Breast Tomosynthesis is the biggest advantage of technology in this field.
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis It is an additional examination taken in a single plan in addition to the mammography examination taken in routine two plans, and it only prolongs the examination time by 4-5 seconds. The amount of dose taken is equivalent to single exposure mammography and 1 mm thick plans are obtained retrospectively from all data.
It is known that early diagnosis saves lives and is the best known defense method in breast cancer. This technology, which increases the diagnostic value and reliability of mammography, adds a new dimension to conventional mammography in terms of both patient and physician safety. You can reach our expert team by using the contact form or by calling 444 0436.
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