Mammography Alert!

Mammography is a specific type of breast imaging that uses x-rays to detect cancer early – before women experience symptoms. A mammography exam is called a mammogram.

Mammogram radiation is believed to be much more damaging than a chest x-ray because it uses ionizing radiation at a relatively high dose, which can contribute to the mutations that can lead to breast cancer. You can get as much radiation from one mammogram as you would from 1,000 chest X-rays. Mammography also compresses your breasts tightly, which can lead to a dangerous spread of cancerous cells, should they exist. Dr. Samuel Epstein, one of the world's top cancer experts, has stated:

"The premenopausal breast is highly sensitive to radiation, each 1 rad exposure increasing breast cancer risk by about 1 percent, with a cumulative 10 percent increased risk for each breast over a decade's screening."