What to Expect
What can I expect when getting a mammogram?- You will sign in at the front desk. You may need to fill out paperwork. Then you will be taken to a private dressing room, where you will change into a gown. You will put your clothes and belongings in a locker.
- At Capital Breast Care Center, a doctor will give you a clinical breast exam, which is a physical examination of your breast. (If you go to a different place to have your mammogram, you may or may not receive a clinical breast exam.)
- Next, you will go to a room with an x-ray machine. A technician will ask you to stand in front of the x-ray machine. She will position one of your breasts on a plate. Then she will mechanically flatten your breast against the plate with a clear paddle. Compressing your breast helps to get a clear picture of your breast tissue.
- While on the plate your breast will then be compressed with a clear paddle (in order to help even out the thickness of the breast and to keep the breast free of movement so that a clear image can be obtained).
- The technician will go behind a wall to take the x-ray. Then she will come back and release the pressure on your breast.
- To get a different picture of the breast, the technician may ask you to change positions. She will flatten your breast again to take another x-ray. She will take x-rays of both breasts.
- After she has taken the x-rays, you will be asked to wait while she makes sure she has all the x-rays your doctor needs.
How long does it take to get a mammogram?
It can take up to 30 minutes.
Will it hurt?
You can expect to feel a lot of pressure on your breast as it is flattened. This is uncomfortable, but it doesn’t last long. If you have more discomfort than you can stand, please tell the technician.
How will I know the results of my mammogram?
Someone from the place you had your mammogram will call you or send you a letter with your results.
