Compression Many patients have asked why there has to be so much compsression for a mammogram. The issue of compression is a sensitive one. Here are some facts to keep in mind. Compression spreads out normal breast tissue, enabling the Clinical Breast Radiologist to detect smaller lumps. Compression immobilizes the breast, resulting in exquisite detail on the mammogram again enabling the Clinical Breast Radiologist to identify the smallest abnormalities related to any early cancer. Compression decreases the thickness of the breast, which results in a smaller dose of radiation needed for proper exposure. Compression helps in pulling the breast tissue forward away from the chest wall, resulting in a mammogram which includes the maximum amount of breast tissue. If it is not included in the mammogram, the Clinical Breast Radiologist won't see it! Compression results in brief discomfort, but no matter how uncomfortable you may feel, it has never been shown to damage the breast tissue.
We realize that many of our patients have breast tenderness which can be worsened by the mammogram.
We make the following
recommendation:
Schedule your mammogram for the week following your menstrual cycle; the time when breast tenderness is normally the least.
If you have severe, unremitting tenderness, take Tylenol or ibuprofen just before your arrival.
Please inform the Mammography Technologist if you are experiencing pain while she is positioning the breast for the mammogram. Our Mammography Technologists are more than willing to work with you to minimize any discomfort in having a mammogram.
Despite our best efforts, we know that most patients experience discomfort during the mammogram. The discomfort should be brief. If any pain is experienced, you are encouraged to bring it to our attention so we can work with you, or reschedule the mammogram when your overall tenderness is less.
Bruising is an unusual but known complication of mammography, and tends to occur more frequently in elderly patients with fragile blood vessels in the skin; this is not detrimental to the breasts. Compression, no matter how uncomfortable it may be, does not damage the breasts.
We appreciate our patients' willingness to undergo an annual examination for early detection of breast cancer, and we want to work closely with you to make that experience as comfortable as possible.
Compression spreads out normal breast tissue, enabling the Clinical Breast Radiologist to detect smaller lumps.