Mammography Test in Gomti Nagar, Lucknow

A screening mammogram is for women with no breast symptoms, and a diagnostic mammogram is for a symptom or a finding that needs looking into. The test itself is the same. The question, and the number of pictures, are different.

• Screening: usually two pictures of each breast, taken to look for changes too small to feel. Breast cancer screening explains who should think about it.
• Diagnostic: for a lump, nipple discharge, a skin change, or a result from elsewhere that needs a second look. Extra or magnified pictures of one area are common, and a breast ultrasound is often added.

Tell the team which one you need when you book. If you notice a lump or other change at any point, say so at the desk, and the radiologist decides whether to add pictures to your visit.

A mammogram shows the inner pattern of the breast, including small lumps, areas of distorted tissue and tiny calcium specks called calcifications. Some of these are too small to be felt, which is why mammograms are used for screening.

It has limits. Dense breast tissue can hide small changes, and a mammogram cannot tell a fluid-filled cyst from a solid lump. A lump you can feel still needs an examination and often a breast ultrasound, even when the mammogram is normal.

Many of the changes picked up on a mammogram turn out to be harmless. The radiologist's task is to separate those from the few that need more tests.

A standard mammogram takes flat 2D pictures. 3D mammography takes the pictures in thin layers, which can help in dense breasts or when a closer look is needed. Both involve the same compression and the same preparation.

Your doctor decides which suits you. If your prescription only says "mammography", the team will confirm which one is meant when you book.

Each breast is pressed between two plates for a few seconds. The pressure is uncomfortable for many women and painful for some, so say so if it is too much. Flattening the tissue gives a clearer picture from a lower dose. The radiation dose is low, and the doctor who advises the test weighs it against the benefit.

Being called back after a screening mammogram is common, and most women who are called back turn out not to have cancer.

The usual reasons are that a picture was not clear enough, that tissue overlapped, or that one area needs a closer look. The next step is usually extra mammogram views, a breast ultrasound of the area, or both. A needle test is advised only if those still leave a question.

Bring your earlier mammograms to every visit. Comparing with old pictures often settles whether an area is new or has been there for years.