Breast Implants and Mammograms

The American Cancer Society estimates that 39,510 women will die from breast cancer in 2012, the ACS put out some critical information for women who have breast implants. The ACS recommends a mammogram every two years for women over 40. I want to make you aware of some significant information if you have implants from breast augmentation and were afraid to get that mammogram, or if you were just wondering if it mattered. YES! It does matter. And YES it will still work.

It is true that if your implant was placed above the pectoral muscle part of your breast tissue will be obscured during a mammogram. The breast tissue will not be quite as obscured if your implant was placed beneath the pectoral muscle. An implant can hide 15 percent to more than 50 percent of breast tissue. This is why it is important for you to inform the mammography clinic ahead of time that you have had breast augmentation. However, in either case it is still important to inform the people performing the mammography of your implants. Specially trained mammographers know how to x-ray the breast after implantation using  special implant displacement views. The procedure requires 4 extra pictures (2 on each breast), and the breast must be pulled forward and the implant pressed back as much as possible against the wall of the chest. The radiologist must also read the mammogram with the implant in mind. This means it is in your best interest if you have me perform breast augmentation at Little Rock Cosmetic Surgery that you also ask me where to get your mammograms.

These special techniques make it possible to catch any signs of cancer early in women with implants. Therefore it is very worthwhile to get your yearly mammogram. It is important to remember that mortality rates from breast cancer have dropped 33% in women who had mammograms! That is a one third of lives saved thanks to a simple test! If you want to know more you can click HERE for the recent article from the American Cancer Society on the topic.

Now, if you are afraid that a mammogram will rupture your implant, please be aware that this is extremely rare.  In the past 10 years only 42 cases of rupture cause by mammograms have been reported, as Dr. Judith Reichman said in an interview on NBCNews.com’s TodayHealth. I highly recommend watching the video I have linked to the interview. Just a little public service announcement in case you did not find the articles yourself! Please follow the American Cancer Society’s suggestions.

Call Melinda to set up a consultation with me at 501-227-0707