Mammogram

• Most abnormalities found during a mammogram are not breast cancer. But many women who have regular screening mammograms need more tests to investigate any abnormalities found during a mammogram. If an area of your breast tissue appears to be a concern during a mammogram, other tests such as an ultrasound may be done.
• Mammogram results are harder to interpret in women before Reference menopause Opens New Window because breast tissue in younger women is denser than in older women. Mammograms may be less accurate in Reference obese Opens New Window women.
• A digital mammogram allows your doctor to view different parts of the breast without taking more images. Digital mammograms have the same overall accuracy as standard mammograms. The procedure in which a digital mammogram is done is the same as a standard mammogram—each procedure takes about the same amount of time, and breast compression is needed for both. Images from a digital mammogram can be magnified and stored electronically.
• If you come from a family where women have had breast cancer earlier than age 40, talk to your doctor about what age to start screening. If you have a very strong family history of breast or ovarian cancer, you may want to have a breast cancer (BRCA) gene test. For more information, see the topic Reference Breast Cancer (BRCA) Gene Test.

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