Many women find mammograms, the x-ray procedure to detect breast cancer, an uncomfortable experience. In order to properly detect breast abnormalities, a mammogram requires that a patient’s breasts be squeezed between two plates. For many women, uncomfortable is a gross underestimation of the pain they experience during a mammogram.
According to a recent survey of 72,000 adult women who had a mammogram in 1992, pain was the number one reason that 94 percent refused to return for a subsequent mammogram in the next ten years. The American Cancer Society states that only 60 percent of women comply with medical mammogram recommendations. Having a routine mammogram test is crucial to the early detection of breast cancer for thousands of women. According to American Cancer Society statistics, 211,000 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2005 alone.
Many breast-imaging professionals are looking for ways to make mammograms more comfortable. One strategy recently implemented replaces the hard top plate with a flexible compression paddle, allowing for more targeted compression. According to Dr. Lisa Weinstock, radiologist and founder of Women’s Digital Imaging, this innovation takes pressure off your ribs and chest, making the procedure much more comfortable.
A California cosmetic breast surgeon has also developed an innovative product designed to add comfort to mammograms. MammoPads are spongy pads placed on both sides of the breast prior to compression. According to studies, 75 percent of women using MammoPads reported a significant decrease in pain, compared to the standard mammogram procedure. Not only are these products more comfort-conducive, they also allow for better imaging.
In addition to relieving the physical discomfort of mammograms, breast experts are also developing ways to reduce the mental stress associated with waiting for mammography results. Many doctors are beginning to replace film imaging with digital imaging, which returns more accurate results much faster.
Dr. Richard Davies, chairman of surgery at Hackensack University Medical Center, is overseeing clinical trials for FDA approval of a new device called ComfortScan. ComfortScan is a new breast cancer diagnostic technique that involves minimal compression. This test will detect abnormal blood vessels, indicating breast cancer before a tumor can be seen. Today, this detection is done via MRI, but this procedure is expensive.
The best screening device available is still a mammogram. Women over the age of forty and younger women at higher risk, should have a mammogram annually. Imaging specialists recommend that women find a center that specializes in breast imaging and speak with their friends and family about their experiences with different centers.