Quick answer
What is a mammogram?
A mammogram is an X-ray of the breast used to detect cancer early, often before it can be felt. The NHS Breast Screening Programme invites women aged 50 to 71 for a mammogram every three years. The breast is briefly compressed to take clear images, which can feel uncomfortable but is normal.
What breast screening involves
Breast screening is a population-wide programme that aims to reduce deaths from breast cancer through early detection. Finding cancers earlier generally leads to better outcomes, which is why the NHS invites eligible women to attend regularly.
What happens during a mammogram
During a mammogram, a radiographer positions your breast on the machine and typically takes two X-ray images of each breast. The whole appointment is usually quick, though the compression needed for clear images can feel uncomfortable for a short time.
Understanding your mammogram results
A normal mammogram result means you will simply be invited back for your next routine screening in three years. A recall result means further tests are needed, but this does not necessarily mean cancer has been found.
Symptoms between screening rounds
Any new breast lump should be assessed by a GP through the two-week-wait referral pathway, regardless of when your next screening appointment is due. Screening is designed to complement, rather than replace, checking for and reporting new symptoms yourself.
Common questions about the mammogram
- Does a mammogram hurt?
- A mammogram involves the breast being compressed between two plates for a few moments, which some people find uncomfortable. Most describe it as brief pressure rather than significant pain.
- Is there a radiation risk from mammograms?
- Mammograms use a very low dose of radiation, and for women in the screening age group the benefits are considered to outweigh this small risk. This is why the NHS offers routine screening to this age group.
- Can women under 50 have breast screening?
- Routine NHS breast screening starts at age 50, so women under 50 are not automatically invited. Younger women who develop symptoms are assessed individually by their GP.
- What happens after an abnormal mammogram?
- An abnormal mammogram usually leads to a recall for further imaging and sometimes a biopsy. Most women who are recalled do not turn out to have cancer.