Mammogram

Mammography uses low-dose x-rays to produce a picture of the internal structure of the breast. Additional angles and magnified views are taken of suspicious areas. A mammogram may help in the diagnosis of breast problems, including cancer. Although recommendations vary, many experts suggest that a woman have a baseline mammogram at age 40, followed by a mammogram every couple of years until age 50. After 50, a woman should have a mammogram every year.

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Review Date: 3/10/2011
Reviewed By: Harvey Simon, MD, Editor-in-Chief, Associate Professor of Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Physician, Massachusetts General Hospital.

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