According to Canadian Cancer Society statistics, about 22,700 women in Canada were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2009 and around 5,400 died of it. Any woman over 40 should have yearly mammograms; those who do are very unlikely to die of breast cancer in their lifetime. There are two types of mammograms: conventional mammograms and digital mammograms.
Traditional Mammography: Conventional Mammograms
Most mammography machines in BC are analog, which means that they take a picture of the breast and print out X-ray film. The use of X-rays in breast examination dates back over 90 years, although the first dedicated breast X-ray machines didn't exist until 1969. During a conventional mammogram, images are produced from a low dose of radiation while the breast is squeezed between two plastic plates on the mammogram machine. The breasts are compressed to ensure that the woman remains still enough to capture clear pictures, and also to reduce the amount of radiation required to obtain images.
Once the conventional mammogram is complete, the radiologist looks at the black and white images of the breast on the film to interpret results. Reading X-ray mammograms can be difficult, and in some cases abnormalities in the breast tissue may be hard to notice on the film.
Modern Mammography: Digital Mammograms
In digital mammography, the procedure is similar to conventional mammography, as X-rays are also used to produce images. However, rather than storing the images on film, digital images are stored electronically and viewed on a computer screen. Digital mammography allows the physician a more definitive view of the breast that can be manipulated for further interpretation. Digital mammograms usually amount to a lower dose of radiation than traditional mammography. Because images can be transmitted to other computers, results can quickly be made available to other health care professionals.
Find out the age at which you should start having yearly conventional or digital mammograms.