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Definition
By Mayo Clinic staff
A mammogram is a black-and-white image of your breast used to screen for breast cancer. Mammograms play a key role in early breast cancer detection and help decrease breast cancer deaths.
During a mammogram, your breasts are compressed between two firm surfaces in order to spread out the breast tissue. Then, an X-ray captures images of your breasts that a doctor uses to detect changes and cancer.
A mammogram can be used either for screening or for diagnostic purposes. How often you should have a mammogram depends on your age and your risk of breast cancer.
- Mammograms and other breast imaging procedures. American Cancer Society. Accessed Aug. 4, 2009.
- Screening mammograms: Questions and answers. National Cancer Institute. http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/factsheet/detection/screening-mammograms. Accessed Aug. 4, 2009.
- Tice JA, et al. Screening and prevention of breast cancer in primary care. Journal of Primary Care. 2009;36:533.
- Venkataraman S. Breast imaging: Mammography and ultrasonography. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 4, 2009.
- Fletcher SW. Screening for breast cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 4, 2009.
- Esserman LJ, et al. Diagnostic evaluation of women with suspected breast cancer. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed Aug. 4, 2009.
- American Cancer Society guidelines for the early detection of cancer. American Cancer Society. Accessed Aug. 4, 2009.
