Word parts
What it means
A low-dose x-ray of each breast while it is pressed between two plates. Screening mammograms look for early cancer in people without symptoms; diagnostic mammograms look closer at a lump or other change. The USPSTF recommends screening every two years for women aged 40 to 74. The method is called mammography.
For the nurse
Teach the client not to wear deodorant, powder or lotion on the breasts or underarms on the day of the test, as they can show on the image. The pressing is uncomfortable but brief.
At a glance
| Spanish | mamografía |
|---|---|
| Also written | mammograms, mammography |
Related terms
x-ray
A picture of the inside of the body made with a small dose of radiation; also called a radiograph.
biopsy
Taking a small sample of tissue from the body so it can be looked at under a microscope.
breast cancer
Cancer that starts in the cells of the breast.