Mammography is the taking of the detailed image of the breast on the film with the help of a special low-dose X-ray (X-Ray). Low-dose X-ray, high-contrast and high-density films and specially designed X-ray devices are used in mammography. Early diagnosis is very important in the success of breast cancer treatment. Mammography plays the most important role in the early diagnosis of breast cancer. The United States Food and Drug Administration estimates that 85% to 90% of masses found in women over the age of 50 can be detected by mammography 2 years before they reach detectable size. The benefits of mammography far outweigh the potential risks and discomfort.

Mammography can display changes in the breast even when they are not felt by the woman or her doctor. After the mass is found, mammography can be used to determine whether it is cancer. For this purpose, biopsy can be performed with the help of mammography. Biopsy is the process of taking suspicious tissue and determining whether there is cancer under laboratory conditions. If an abnormality is found, a biopsy with the help of a special type of mammography (Stereotactic Mammography) or ultrasound can be used to confirm the diagnosis.

Types of Mammography

Mammography can be divided into two as control and diagnostic purposes;
• Control mammography is used to detect possible breast cancers at an early stage in women with no complaints. When control mammography is performed regularly, it increases the possibility of early diagnosis and significantly increases the chance of success in treatment. It is recommended that every woman over the age of 40 should have a control mammogram once a year. Women, who are assumed to have a relatively higher risk, can start this practice at an earlier age with the recommendation of a doctor.
• Diagnostic mammography is a method used for women with breast-related complaints such as the presence of a mass or breast discharge, and for women with abnormal formations in control mammography. Diagnostic mammography is a more detailed procedure and therefore takes longer time than control mammography. Diagnostic mammography is performed to determine the exact location and size of the suspicious tissue and to view the surrounding tissue and lymph nodes. Women who have had breast cancer before and women with prostheses in their breasts (Silicone, etc.) can be viewed from more angles while having a diagnostic mammogram.

How is Mammography Done?

While mammography is being taken, the specialist moves the patient to the required position and views each breast separately. In the shot of each nozzle, the nozzle is carefully placed on the film carrier plates and gently pressed between the two sheets. These sheets are usually made of clear fiberglass or other clear plastics. This compression causes the breast to flatten, which makes more successful imaging and examination of tissue possible. The amount of radiation received by the tissue also decreases.

In some mammography centers, specialists may place adhesive locators on the breast skin prior to mammography. The purpose of this marking may be to identify formations that are unrelated to cancer, such as wounds, but may lead to incorrect evaluations, or it may be to mark potential areas such as a found mass that causes mammography. In some mammography centers, a marker is always placed on the nipple, and radiologists use this marker to locate their findings.

During mammography, an X-ray source is turned on and the resulting X-rays pass through the compressed breast and reach the film cassette under the breast. A special phosphor layer in the film cassette creates light photons at the rate of X-rays falling on it, and these light photons are recorded by the X-ray film and darkening occurs on the film. Since X-rays pass through tissues of different densities and types at different rates, the internal structure of the breast is visualized. This two-stage imaging method produces a very detailed image of the breast with the least amount of radiation possible, as it is made using high-sensitivity X-ray films and low-energy X-rays. Processed mammography films are evaluated by radiologists. Radiologists compare mammograms of both breasts with each other and new mammograms with old ones in their evaluations. In the evaluation, radiologists look at the shadows and the distribution of breast tissue density.

Mammography is like a fingerprint, it differs a lot from woman to woman, in fact, no mammogram is like any other mammogram. For this reason, it is of great importance to bring not only the reports of previous controls, but also the mammography films taken during these controls when going to the controls. Slight differences between previously shot mammography films and newly shot films