Mammography is an X-ray examination of the female breast. It is used for the early detection of breast cancer. Even very small breast cancers can be detected at a very early stage using mammography. Here you will find further information as well as selected mammography specialists and centers.
Mammography is an X-ray examination of the female breast. It is considered the best method for the early detection of breast cancer (breast carcinoma).
This examination allows even very small tumors to be detected at an early stage. These small nodules can only be felt later.
Small calcifications can also be detected with a mammogram. They are regarded as a signal that "remodeling" is taking place within the tissue. They can therefore be a preliminary stage of breast cancer.
There is a nationwide mammography screening program for breast cancer prevention for women between the ages of 50 and 69. This is aimed at women who do not actually have any risk factors for breast cancer. Every woman in this age group can have a free examination every two years - in addition to the annual cancer screening examination. You will receive an official invitation by post.
Specialist associations recommend that mammography should be carried out as part of early detection from the age of 40 at the earliest. The cost of a bilateral mammogram is between 100 and 200 euros. Patients outside the mammography screening program may have to bear these costs themselves.
Women should always have a mammogram performed by an expert - i.e. in a radiology practice. In addition to trained and experienced staff, high-quality equipment is available here, which is checked regularly. This means that patients are not exposed to excessive radiation.
The radiation exposure for a bilateral mammogram in two planes is on average between 0.2-0.4 milli-Sievert. This value corresponds to around ten percent of the radiation exposure to which every German citizen is exposed each year through natural environmental influences.
Radiologists, i.e. X-ray specialists, can use digital mammography for early breast cancer screening. Here, the X-ray images are not exposed, but stored electronically. They can therefore be viewed on the monitor and easily enlarged.
You should not use deodorant before a mammogram. Deodorant can create a haze on the X-ray image.
During the mammogram, each breast is x-rayed once from above and once from an oblique lateral position. This gives the doctor a total of four images. If the doctor sees changes in the breast on one of the images that appear unclear, he or she will take further images if necessary.
The tissue layers should be shown as thinly as possible on the images. For this reason, two Plexiglas plates press the breast together. This may be a little uncomfortable.
Performing a mammogram © RFBSIP | AdobeStock
The breast is softer and less sensitive to pain between the end of menstruation and the next ovulation. Therefore, pre-menopausal women should have their mammogram in the first half of their cycle.
During the mammogram, you should avoid moving as much as possible so that the image is as sharp as possible. However, the exposure time is only a few seconds.
A benign tumor appears on the X-ray image as a dense and uniform structure with a smooth border.
Malignant tumors are distinguished by the fact that they often have so-called cancerous feet , i.e. star-shaped extensions. They also have a blurred border.
However, mammography cannot always clearly determine whether a tumor is benign or malignant. To be sure, the doctor takes a tissue sample as part of a biopsy. A hollow needle is used for this under sterile conditions.
The removed tissue is then examined under a microscope in the laboratory.
There is no need to worry that cancer cells could spread throughout the body as a result of the tissue removal.
Any calcium deposits are called micro or macro calcium particles depending on their size. Macrocalcifications can reach a size of over 0.5 mm.
While macrocalcification is clearly a benign change, microcalcification can indicate both a benign and a malignant change.
Whether the calcium particles indicate a benign or malignant change is assessed by the doctor based on the shape and distribution pattern of the particles. In the case of suspicious microcalcifications, a tissue sample should be taken for clarification .
Magnetic res onance imaging ( MRI) can be used instead of mammography for the early detection of breast cancer. This is an imaging procedure that does not involve radiation.
An MRI uses a contrast medium to show tissue in detail and can thus make pathological changes visible. International studies have shown that this considerably more expensive procedure is also suitable for the early detection of breast cancer.
In Germany, however, magnetic resonance imaging is still controversial as a general method for the early detection of breast cancer. The method has its advantages and disadvantages in the early detection of breast cancer.
In general, magnetic resonance imaging of the breast can detect breast cancer precursors such as
can be reliably detected.
MRI also provides better results in young women with dense breast tissue and hereditary forms of breast cancer. On the other hand, microcalcifications in the breasts are less easily detected by MRI than by mammography.
In addition, an MRI scan costs at least €400 and takes considerably longer. A mammogram can be performed in two minutes. An MRI, on the other hand, takes around 30 minutes.
The use of MRI therefore also poses a logistical problem for comprehensive screening examinations.
Magnetic resonance tomograph © digitale-fotografien | AdobeStock
Randomized controlled trials are studies in which patients are randomly assigned to two treatment groups. In medicine, such studies are considered the best model for answering certain questions.
In corresponding studies, experts were able to prove that the mortality rate from breast cancer could be reduced by 30 percent through the use of mammography for the early detection of cancer. There are also comparative studies between mammography and magnetic resonance imaging, from which useful applications of magnetic resonance imaging can be derived:
MRI can also be used to improve surgical planning in cases of suspected multifocal or multicentric breast cancer. This is the case if the breast carcinoma occurs in several disease foci or breast quadrants.
In summary, mammography is a study-proven examination method for the early detection of breast cancer.
However, due to the exposure to X-rays, the advantages and disadvantages should always be weighed up individually and carefully with the attending physician.
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