• Home

Home > Medical Reference > Encyclopedia (English)

Toggle: English / Spanish

Mammography

• Overview
• Risks
• Results

Alternative Names:

Mammogram

Normal Values:

Breast tissue that shows no evidence of mass (aggregations of cells) or calcification is considered normal.

What abnormal results mean:

A well-outlined, regular, clear spot is more likely to be a non-cancerous lesion such as a cyst.

A poorly outlined, cloudy area is more likely to suggest breast cancer (a cancerous lesion). However, not all breast cancers are perfectly round, and some cancers may appear well-defined.

Sometimes, the doctor will use ultrasound to further examine the problem and determine the next best step. When findings from a mammogram or ultrasound look suspicious, a biopsy is performed to determine if it a cancerous or non-cancerous condition.

Conditions under which a biopsy may be performed include:

• Breast cancer
• Breast infection
• Fibrocystic breast disease
• Lumps in the breasts
• Breast pain
• Nipple discharge

References:

Smith RA, Salsow D, Sawyer KA, et al. American Cancer Society guidelines for breast cancer screening: Update 2003. CA Cancer J Clin . 2003;53(3):141-169.

Saslow D, Boetes C, Burke W, et al. American Cancer Society guidelines for breast screening with MRI as an adjunct to mammography. CA Cancer J Clin . 2007 Mar-Apr;57(2):75-89.

Lehman CD, Gatsonis C, Kuhl CK, et al. MRI evaluation of the contralateral breast in women with recently iagnosed breast cancer. N Engl J Med . 2007 Mar 29;356(13):1295-303. Epub 2007 Mar 28.

Qaseem A, Snow V, Sherif K, et al. Screening mammography for women 40 to 49 years of age: A clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med . 2007;146(7):511-515.

• Review Date: 4/3/2007
• Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: Greg Juhn, M.T.P.W., David R. Eltz, Kelli A. Stacy. Previously reviewed by Jonathan Gross, M.D., Department of Radiology, Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network (8/22/2006).

A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is the first of its kind, requiring compliance with 53 standards of quality and accountability, verified by independent audit. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial process . A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics (www.hiethics.com) and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).

The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. Copyright 1997-2007 A.D.A.M., Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.