MAMMOGRAPHy-The future of breast cancer prevention
Mammography is a common form of breast cancer screening used to diagnose unusual symptoms or abnormalities in the breasts. This method is used quite commonly around the world, gradually helping to decrease the number of deaths from this disease. Every year, the number of people participating in breast cancer screening is increasing giving women several opportunities for their futures.
Breast cancer screening requires the use of an x-ray like machine to take several internal images of the breasts from different angles. During this process the breasts are each compressed within two plates while the images are taken to get accurate results. A certified female nurse usually performs mammography over the course of 10 to 15 minutes. After the testing, the images would be sent to a doctor to be examined giving patients the nerve-wracking results. Currently in Ontario, women are advised to go through the screening process every one to two years in order to ensure a healthy population. All in all, mammography has been thought as the most effective method of screening available, but is it really?