Finding the right tests…
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Finding the right tests…
X-Ray
A bilateral mammogram, or B/L, X-rays both breasts, usually with two views of each — one from top to bottom and one at an angle from the side. This is the standard scan for routine breast cancer screening. Comparing both breasts side by side in the same sitting helps a radiologist spot anything unusual in one that looks different from the other, one of the simplest and most reliable signals in reading a mammogram. Screening guidelines from the US Preventive Services Task Force recommend mammograms every two years for women aged 40 to 74 who have no symptoms and are at average risk, and your doctor may recommend a different schedule based on your personal history.
This scan compresses and X-rays each breast in turn, capturing both from two angles. Doctors compare the left and right images side by side to look for lumps, calcium deposits, or areas that look different between the two breasts.
A bilateral mammogram is built around comparison. Both breasts are imaged in the same sitting, usually with a top-to-bottom view and an angled side view of each, so a radiologist can line up four pictures and check whether one side has changed compared with the other.
Breast tissue naturally varies from person to person, and even between a woman's own left and right breast. Reading both sides together, rather than one breast on its own, gives the radiologist a built-in comparison — a new lump, area of thickening, or cluster of calcium deposits often stands out more clearly against your own other breast than against a general average.
This is the standard test for routine breast cancer screening. The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammograms every two years for women aged 40 to 74 who have no symptoms and are at average risk. If you're younger than 40, or have a family history or a specific symptom, your doctor will advise on timing rather than applying one fixed age to everyone.
The US Preventive Services Task Force recommends screening mammograms every two years starting at age 40 for women at average risk. If you have a family history or other risk factors, your doctor may suggest starting earlier.
For average-risk women aged 40 to 74, current guidance recommends a mammogram every two years. Your doctor may recommend a different interval based on your personal risk and history.
No, a mammogram uses a low dose of radiation, and most medical guidance considers the risk from this level of exposure to be very low compared with the benefit of early detection.
Routine screening mammograms are generally not done during pregnancy. Tell your doctor and the centre if you're pregnant, breastfeeding, or think you might be pregnant, so they can advise on timing.
This page is general information about the test, not medical advice. Your own report's reference ranges apply — please discuss your results with your doctor.
Each breast is compressed briefly between two plates to get a clear image, which can feel uncomfortable for a few seconds. Tell the technician if you find it especially painful.
Your doctor may ask for a diagnostic mammogram with more detailed images of the specific area, sometimes along with an ultrasound, to look closer before deciding on any next steps.
A bilateral mammogram is typically a routine screening scan of both breasts in someone without symptoms. A diagnostic mammogram is a more detailed, targeted scan used to investigate a specific finding or symptom.
Ask your doctor or the centre about their specific requirements, since this can depend on your age, symptoms, and screening history.