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Mammography - Risks

Alternative Names

Mammogram

What the risks are:

The level of radiation is low and any risk from mammography is very low. If you are pregnant and need to have an abnormality checked, your belly area will be covered and protected by a lead apron.

Routine screening mammography is not done during pregnancy or while breast-feeding.

Female Breast

Breast lumps

Causes of breast lumps

Mammary gland

Abnormal discharge from the nipple

Fibrocystic breast disease

Mammogram

Reviewed last on: 12/28/2010
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Yi-Bin Chen, MD, Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Mammograms. National Cancer Institute Factsheet. Last reviewed September 22, 2010.

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.

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

U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. Screening for Breast Cancer. U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement: 2009 Nov.

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