I am not really willing to post anything about my work on my blog but there is something that I believe that I have to post for the goodwill of the general population.
In Singapore, we know that Breast Cancer is the top woman killer. According to statistics from the National Cancer Centre Singapore, "more than 25% of all cancers diagnosed in women are breast cancers". It is thus recommended that woman from the age of 40 years old onwards to have their routine mammogram done.
The most common questions that I got from patients is that "between mammogram and ultrasound breasts, which one is better", and "how often should mammograms be done".
I would say that no specific imaging procedure is more superior than another. The different type of scan techniques are used to look out for different things. Ultrasound is mainly used to look for cysts while mammogram is mainly used to look for calcifications. Ultrasound is more suitable for young ladies who are not yet eligible for mammogram because their breasts are still dense. The usual screening mammogram for patients start at the age of 40 with some patients starting earliest at the age of 35. Any age below 35 are not eligible for mammogram due to the dense breast tissues unless the patient has clinical findings such as suspicious lumps. The youngest patient that I ever did was 26 years old. There is MRI scanning for breasts too. But that is usually for patients with malignant lumps. For the age of 40 to 50, patients are actually recommended to have mammograms done annually. For the age of 50 to 60, some patients continue to have it done annually while some do it once every two years. People may ask, so to have it done in two years or one year? Well, that depends on the doctor that the patients visit. The referring doctor would access the patient's history to determine if a more frequent assessment is required. For the age of 60 to 70, assessment is usually once every three years. It is then again, depending on patient's anatomy and history.
The next most common concern of a patient is the radiation dosage that they are exposed to. The dose that are given will always be the least but sufficient enough for an image to have a diagnostic purpose. There is this ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle that all radiographers have to abide to.
With the advancement of technology, having breasts artificially enhanced with breast implants can be done really easily. Mammograms for patients with breast implants are the most uncomfortable experience as compared to the normal mammograms. Instead of the standard four views for both breasts, there is a total of standard eight views for these patients. It is basically two sets of the standard four views with the second set done with a pinch technique; pulling out the soft tissues and pushing the implant towards the chest for compression and imaging of solely the soft tissues.
My views on breast implants? I do not support it because we are all beautiful as who we are already.
Some people may have this misconception that the size of the breast is the cause of the pain during mammograms. The size of the breasts may be a contributing factor to the discomfort but it is not the ultimate factor that causes the pain. I would always recommend my patients to make their appointment within 10 days after their menstruation as that is the time when the breasts are the softest, with regards to the menstrual cycle. Honestly, I can't remember where I got this information but it is commonly observed for the breasts to be sore during the pre-menstrual period.
October is the Breast Cancer awareness month where there will be some promotions to have mammograms and bone densitometry done at a discounted price. The queue will however be exceptionally long. As a mammographer, doing our best to serve all the patients, we hope for your understanding in the long wait due to the surge in the volume of patients and also our aching lower back due to the additional heavy workload that we have for the month. It would be nice to be appreciated so do remember to thank the radiographer and other staffs who served you. Those little words can make our day. =)
October is the Breast Cancer awareness month where there will be some promotions to have mammograms and bone densitometry done at a discounted price. The queue will however be exceptionally long. As a mammographer, doing our best to serve all the patients, we hope for your understanding in the long wait due to the surge in the volume of patients and also our aching lower back due to the additional heavy workload that we have for the month. It would be nice to be appreciated so do remember to thank the radiographer and other staffs who served you. Those little words can make our day. =)
