Reconciling the busy female routine with the need to take care of health is a major challenge for women. Boyfriend or husband, children, work and home chores are always placed as priorities, leaving the checkup forgotten or postponed.
The consequence of this posture of many women can be serious, as dangerous diseases such as breast cancer can be diagnosed through simple preventive tests such as mammography.
Mammography is a radiograph of the breasts, an exam that uses radiation to reveal possible changes such as lumps and tumors. Many women believe that self-examination of breasts by touch is sufficient, but according to the National Cancer Institute (INCA), self-examination does not replace mammography, as this method allows changes to be detected before they are even perceived by palpation.
When to do the mammogram
There is divergent information between the Ministry of Health and gynecologists. According to the Ministry of Health mammography should be done every two years from 50 to 69 years.
Gynecologists, on the other hand, recommend mammography annually from the age of 40, and may start earlier for women with a family history of breast cancer: at 35 or about 10 years before the first degree relative, mother or sister, who had breast cancer before menopause.
Very young women who need to investigate lumps should have an ultrasound exam together with the mammogram, as the mammogram often cannot detect lesions in very young and very dense breasts. In these cases the mammary gland becomes opaque, and the image of the exam is not clear. Another option is to do a digital mammography, which allows manipulation of the image during the exam to make it more evident.
The common mammogram is effective by itself from the age of 35, because at this stage part of the breast tissue turns into fat it is possible to better analyze the fat tissue.
Other indications for this test are: before starting hormone replacement therapy, during replacement and before plastic surgery.
How to prepare for a mammogram
- Try to have the exam one week after your period to avoid pain due to hormonal changes;
- Wear a two-piece garment for ease of handling;
- Do not use deodorant, talcum powder, perfume, breast or underarm creams on the day of the exam as these substances may leave residues that interfere with the results;
- Tell the technician if you have had surgery or biopsies, are using silicone, are breastfeeding, or suspect you are pregnant.
How is procedure performed
During the mammogram, a specially qualified technician will position the breasts on a special platform and it will be gradually compressed by a transparent plate and there will be exposure to x-rays.
To obtain a complete examination, changes of position between the images are necessary. The exam will not be completed until the quality of the images has been verified by the technician performing the procedure. The process takes on average 15 minutes.
Mammography and silicone prostheses
Women who have placed a silicone prosthesis on their breasts may have a mammogram normally. However, she should advise the technician that she has silicone in her breasts to modify some parameters on the device. Some positioning maneuvers to separate breast tissue from the prosthesis can be done to achieve the best diagnosis.
Studies have shown that the use of silicone can decrease early breast cancer diagnosis by up to 30%, so if your doctor thinks the image generated is dubious, you may order a digital mammogram, a breast ultrasound exam or an MRI. magnetic to answer questions.
Conventional x digital mammography
According to Dr. Yoon Seung Chang of the Image Department (Breast Group) of the Israeli Hospital Albert Einstein in conventional mammography the image is produced directly on film (like old photographic cameras), while digitally the image is generated in a similar way. which allows it to be manipulated on the computer and digitally archived. The expert also warns that some recent studies have concluded that the detection rate of digital mammography is higher than conventional, especially in women with dense breasts.
It is important to protect the health of the breasts, not giving up to perform this test when the gynecologist indicates in your annual consultation, because without early diagnosis there is no way to take care and get rid of breast cancer, disease that kills women in Brazil .
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