The mammogram should be scheduled one week after the menstrual period begins and when the breasts are least tender. Women should avoid using deodorant and lotions of the day of the mammogram and should wear two-piece clothing to make undressing more convenient. The mammogram will be performed by a trained radiologic technologist. The women will stand next to the mammography machine. Two flat surfaces will compress each breast for a few seconds.
Compression is necessary to produce the best picture, using the lowest amount of radiation possible.
The exam may be uncomfortable. The breast is very responsive to hormonal changes. These hormones affect the glandular tissues and fibrous tissue. Because of the constant changes in the breast, it is not uncommon for either glandular or fibrous tissue to become prominent, producing a lump in the breast, which is usually detected by a breast self exam or an annual mammogram. The only way to know with absolute certainty whether one of these lumps is benign or malignant is to perform a breast biopsy which involves taking a small amount of tissue from the lump and examining it microscopically for signs of any malignancy.