A mammogram is an x-ray test to detect any abnormalities in the breasts. Abnormalities may be cysts, fibroadenomas, or they may be nothing at all. Our big fear is cancer.

A lump does not equal cancer. The word we are hoping to hear after further testing is “benign”.

A diagnostic mammogram is performed when something has been found through a doctor’s or a self- examination. It usually starts out as a more in depth mammogram with the same type of machine. They focus on the area of concern.

If they move you on to the room where they do breast ultrasounds, don’t make any assumptions. The ultrasound is painless, and it is not necessarily a bad sign. They tend to do breast ultrasounds if the breast tissue is dense and thick, making the mammogram unreadable. A mammogram that produces hard to evaluate results, or one that points out something of suspicion, will be followed up with a breast ultrasound.

There is also something newer called a digital mammogram. The only information I was able to find was that not many places have it, and so far they have not found any benefits to the patient. The digital mammograms seem to just make life simpler for the medical professionals.

The breast MRI, is yet another contraption. These are typically used more for follow up care of breast cancer survivors.

Mammograms…get them done. Get a mammogram when your doctor advises it, get one if you feel or see something abnormal about your breast or underarm, and get them regularly. There has been debate about the recommended scheduling of mammograms and the effectiveness of self-exams, but I say it is your body, your breasts, and just like in any other health issue: YOU HAVE A SAY.

If you have fallen behind on the schedule, if you are afraid of the unknown, if you have that inner “voice” that says you’d just prefer not to know…NOW is the time.

It’s never too late to do things right. I personally will be rescheduling my biopsy, and follow-up mammograms. I will compare them to earlier test results and challenge the wait and see approach of six month follow-ups.