MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia: Mammogram

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Mammogram

Mammography is a low-powered x-ray technique that captures a picture of the internal structure of the breast. Additional angles and magnified views are taken of suspicious areas. A mammogram may help in the diagnosis of breast problems, including cancer. It is recommended a woman have a baseline mammogram at age 40, followed by a mammogram every couple of years until age 50. After 50, a woman should have a mammogram every year.

Update Date: 6/12/2006

Updated by: Jeffrey J. Brown, MD FACR, Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, MO. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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