What to Expect at Your First Mammogram

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Getting ready for your first mammogram can be a little scary. You might be imagining a machine flattening your breasts like a pancake—and let's face it, that’s not a fun visual.

“Everybody knows somebody who’s had a mammogram, and they are always sharing stories,” said Jenny Ton, mammography technologist at Cedars-Sinai. “But all you’ve heard are the bad things.”

The truth is, mammograms save lives and are something that should be done annually starting at age 40—or earlier for women with a strong history of breast cancer. The good news is, with a little bit of preparation, the exam can be a lot less stressful.

What is a mammogram?

A mammogram is a low-dose imaging system used to examine breast tissue. It can help doctors detect abnormalities, such as lumps that are too small to be felt, and research has shown annual mammograms can help detect cancer earlier—when it is most treatable.

“Mammography is an early-detection tool,” Ton said. “If we do find something, it’s usually in the early stages and helps give patients the best outcomes.”

Early access to specialty care

Thanks to a comprehensive partnership between Cedars-Sinai Cancer and Radnet, the country’s largest provider of freestanding, fixed-site outpatient diagnostic imaging, mammography patients in Los Angeles gain expedited access to breast specialists who can accelerate the pace of their treatment and eventual recovery.

“Prior to this collaboration, a patient would get her mammogram, and then the referring gynecologist or primary care doctor would need to determine whether she needed to see a specialist like me for follow-up care,” said Lauren DeStefano, MD, a breast oncology surgeon based in Cedars-Sinai Cancer’s Tarzana location. “Today, expert radiologists at Radnet can make that determination instead of putting the onus on the referring provider, speeding up the process significantly. I am now often able to see patients in the same week after finding out they have breast cancer, which means we can begin intervention even earlier than before.”

Radnet’s size and geographic reach also give Cedars-Sinai Cancer patients an added level of flexibility in seeking care.

“If you’re a patient who lives in the West Valley, for instance, and gets a mammogram in Thousand Oaks, it’s very easy to schedule your biopsy in Tarzana or on Cedars-Sinai’s main campus in Beverly Hills because the information-sharing is seamless,” DeStefano said. “You don’t have to stick with one specific location.”

What to expect during your mammogram

No matter where you schedule your mammogram, when you arrive, you will undress from the waist up and will be given a gown to wear. It’s important not to wear deodorant, lotions, oils or perfumes on the day of your exam, as these will interfere with the machine.

During the mammogram, you and a trained technician will be the only ones in the exam room. The tech will position your breasts, one at a time, in between two plastic imaging plates that will apply pressure while taking the X-ray images. Multiple images will be taken from different positions.

“It can be uncomfortable, but we need to apply the pressure to spread out the tissue so we get a clearer image of the breast tissue,” Ton said. “The more pressure applied, the less radiation needed to get an optimal image.”

Ton said this is the most important part, but it’s also the part patients dread most.

“If you’re anticipating pain, you will tense up and your muscle will be fighting the machine,” she said. “The more relaxed you are, the easier it is to tolerate.”

The entire exam will only take about 10 minutes.

“When we’re done, patients usually tell me it wasn’t nearly as bad as they had been imagining,” Ton said.

If the image indicates a need for further investigation, the team at Radnet will reach out to your doctor and give them a direct referral to a Cedars-Sinai Cancer breast specialist. Our expert nurse navigators will then call you to schedule an appointment and explain next steps.

It’s important to remember it’s not uncommon to get results that indicate suspicious findings. Often, these results are benign and could be caused by dense breast tissue or cysts.

While the thought of getting your first mammogram might seem daunting, it’s important to make it a regular part of your preventive healthcare routine. The benefits can speak for themselves.

“Especially with our Radnet partnership, routine mammogram screening improves cancer care tremendously,” DeStefano said. “The bottom line is that it’s quick, efficient and can help save lives.”

Ready to schedule your mammogram? Call the S. Mark Taper Imaging Foundation at 310-423-8000 for appointments.