Screening Mammography

Abstract

The combination of mammography and clinical breast examination (CBE), performed at standard intervals, is currently the best way to provide breast cancer screening. Mammography employs x-rays to image the breast and requires specialized equipment, highly trained technologists, and specially trained physicians (almost always radiologists) to interpret the images. Mammography can be utilized either to detect unsuspected breast abnormalities (screening) or to evaluate known abnormalities (diagnosis). These two functions are most often performed separately because it allows screening examinations to be done in a more streamlined fashion and hence more rapidly and at lower cost.