Mammogram

Memo-mamo

Women in Quebec aged 50 to 74 are eligible for a mammogram for breast cancer screening. Some women don’t have access to all the necessary information about mammograms or the provincial resources available. The Canadian Cancer Society is committed to providing inclusive and diverse services for all women in Quebec.

Two women standing close together and leaning their heads toward each other.

Breast cancer starts in the cells of the breast. A cancerous (malignant) tumour is a group of cancer cells that can grow into and destroy nearby tissue. It can also spread (metastasize) to other parts of the body.

Screening mammography is done when there are no symptoms of breast cancer or breast problems. Both breasts are examined during a screening mammography. It can help find small lumps or abnormal areas of breast tissue before they can be felt or seen. It’s important to have a screening mammogram every two years because they can monitor changes to the breast over time and find breast cancer at an early stage.

Mammography is an x-ray of the breast that uses low doses of radiation to provide detailed images and views of the breast from different angles. The picture made during mammography is called a mammogram.

It can help find both cancerous (malignant) and non-cancerous (benign) tumours in the breast.

You’ll be greeted by a female medical imaging technologist. For the examination, the breast is placed between two plastic compression plates, which are pressed together to flatten the breast. The procedure may cause some discomfort, but this usually only lasts a few seconds. Two x-rays are needed for each breast.

Breast tissue compression results in clearer images while minimizing the amount of radiation used as much as possible.

You’ll feel discomfort for a few seconds for each breast.

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