Mammography
Mammography is one of the simplest, most effective and informative techniques of early diagnostics of breast cancer. Mammography is performed using the special X-ray machine that allows to reveal the most significant changes in the mammary gland structure which can be a signal that a clarifying diagnostics or treatment is required.
Mammography is a standard screening procedure aimed at prevention and early detection of oncological and other diseases of a mammary gland.
Mammography as a diagnostic technique is the most commonly used in oncology, as it allows to reveal neoformations of any kind, and the modern equipment helps to reveal the tumors of micronic dimensions.
Equipment
Dobrobut clinic chain uses modern highly precise equipment by the American manufacturer Hologic Selenia Demensions for the mammography screening of mammary glands.
Hologic Selenia Demensions mammograph is a breakthrough in medical engineering. As the machine can directly transform X-ray scanning into a digital image, the equipment allows to obtain the most contrasted 3D images. The images are ready in 30 seconds as the result of direct transformation.
The field of view of Selenia mammograph has a pitch from 24 to 29 cm which makes it an omni-purpose machine for mammography of women with any dimension of a mammary gland.
Hologic Selenia Demensions mammograph allows to get the high precision images (up to 60 slices) without layering. Every image is made in two projections. The machine guarantees precise diagnostics with minimal X-ray exposure. The examination is perfectly comfortable for women due to the mammograph construction.
Description of mammography procedure
Indications
Mammography is a screening diagnostic procedure that every woman over 40 has to undergo annually.
Besides, mammography can be prescribed as a diagnostic technique for the women under 40 if they belong to the risk group as for oncology (breast cancer of close female relatives).
Symptoms that can be indications for mammography:
- lumps in a mammary gland,
- pain in mammary glands,
- change of dimensions of a mammary gland,
- discharge from nipples,
- lymphadenopathy of axillary nodes.
To perform mammography, a diagnostician will ask to expose the breast and locate the mammary gland on the lower plate of the mammograph. An experienced doctor will help to determine the necessary level of the plate not to cause any discomfort. The second plate is put down from above and provides the tight compression of a mammary gland needed to get the clear image of ducts and tissue structure.
The procedure itself is painless, however, some patients can feel discomfort and pain feelings if there are inflammatory processes in the mammary gland (mastitis or mastopathy), there are cysts or fibroses in its structure, and also if the wrong day of cycle was chosen for the procedure.
Sometimes a doctor may set a wrong mammograph height that may also cause pain feelings in the neck and shoulders; you should tell this to a diagnostician before the procedure.
The procedure takes not more than 20 minutes.
Mammography can be performed at any day of the menstrual cycle, however, in certain cases a doctor can recommend it in the beginning of the cycle (from the 5th to the 14th day of menstruation).
Mammography has no contraindications. Mammography does not require any preparation.
Reading of the results
Reading of the results is the most important part of diagnostics. Health and sometimes the life of a woman depends on the experience of the diagnostician who has performed the mammography and his or her assessment of the organ state during the reading of the results.
