Are there different types of mammograms?

  • Screening mammograms are done for women who have no symptoms of breast cancer. When you reach age 40, you should have a mammogram every one to two years.
  • Diagnostic mammograms are done when a woman has symptoms of breast cancer or a breast lump. This mammogram takes longer than screening mammograms because more pictures of the breast are taken.
  • Digital mammograms take an electronic image of the breast and store it directly in a computer. Current research has not shown that digital images are better at finding cancer than x-ray film images.