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Risks
By Mayo Clinic staffRisks and limitations of mammograms include:
- Mammograms expose you to low-dose radiation. The dose is very low, though, and for most women the benefits of regular mammograms outweigh the risks posed by this amount of radiation.
- Mammograms aren't always accurate. The accuracy of the procedure depends in part on the technique used and the experience and skill of the radiologist. Other factors — such as your age and breast density — may result in false-negative or false-positive mammograms. Tell your doctor if you've noticed a change in one of your breasts, especially if your mammogram is interpreted as normal. If you've had a change in your breast, your doctor may order a diagnostic mammogram so that the suspicious area is looked at more closely than can be done with a screening mammogram.
- Mammograms in younger women can be difficult to interpret. The breasts of younger women contain more glands and ligaments than do those of older women, resulting in dense breast tissue that can obscure signs of cancer. With age, breast tissue becomes fattier and has fewer glands, making it easier to interpret and detect changes on mammograms.
- Having a mammogram may lead to additional testing. Among women of all ages, about 10 percent of mammograms require additional testing, including additional imaging tests such as ultrasound, and a procedure (biopsy) to remove a sample of breast tissue for laboratory testing. However, most abnormal findings detected on mammograms aren't cancer. If you're told that your mammogram is abnormal, make sure that the radiologist has compared your current mammogram with any previous mammograms.
- Screening mammography can't detect all cancers. Some cancers detected by physical examination may not be seen on the mammogram. A cancer may be too small or may be in an area that is difficult to view by mammography, such as your armpit. Mammograms can miss 1 in 5 cancers in women.
- Not all of the tumors found by mammography can be cured. Certain types of cancers are aggressive, grow rapidly and spread early to other parts of your body.
References
- Breast cancer screening (PDQ). National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/pdq/screening/breast/Patient/AllPages. Accessed June 22, 2011.
- Mammography. RadiologyInfo.org. http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/info.cfm?pg=mammo. Accessed June 22, 2011.
- James JJ, et al. The breast. In: Adam A, et al. Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?about=true&eid=4-u1.0-B978-0-443-10163-2..X5001-5--TOP&isbn=978-0-443-10163-2&uniqId=259733166-219. Accessed June 21, 2011.
- Smith RA, et al. Cancer screening in the United States, 2011: A review of current American Cancer Society guidelines and issues in cancer screening. CA Cancer Journal for Clinicians. 2011;61:8.
- Screening for breast cancer. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. http://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/uspstf/uspsbrca.htm. Accessed June 22, 2011.
- Consumer information (MQSA). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/MammographyQualityStandardsActandProgram/ConsumerInformation/default.htm. Accessed June 22, 2011.
- Pruthi S (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. June 29, 2011.
- Yau EJ, et al. The utility of breast MRI as a problem-solving tool. The Breast Journal. 2011;17:273.
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