Breast cancer is the most common type of cancer in the UK, with around 56,000 new cases diagnosed every year (over 150 cases each day).
Mammography is a type of X-ray imaging designed to screen for breast cancer, detecting breast abnormalities in women before they are aware of a lump or any other symptom. Regular mammograms play an essential role in the early detection of breast cancer, and annual screenings have been shown to decrease the risk of death related to breast cancer by more than 25%.
Please note, we can only offer private mammograms to patients who are currently not showing any breast cancer symptoms.
Our state-of-the-art screening technology
At Welbeck’s Women’s Health centre, we offer 3D (tomosynthesis) mammography, the most technologically advanced breast screening in the UK, as standard to all patients.
Using cutting-edge technology, our digital mammography produces higher-quality images than a standard 2D mammogram, providing our specialist radiologists with as much information as possible for an accurate assessment. Using tomosynthesis also reduces the potential number of additional images and re-calls needed, reducing your exposure to radiation.
To further enhance the level of interpretation and analysis, we also use a powerful AI-powered analytics programme to compare your mammography images against a database of existing images. This helps our consultants to identify subtle changes that may be hard to detect with the naked eye.
When reading the mammograms, the radiologist is also able to assess the breast tissue density, and we offer a bilateral breast ultrasound at the same visit to further visualise the breast tissue.
Our consultant radiologists are always present when you have your mammogram, so you receive the results in the same visit, and if anything further is recommended, such as a bilateral breast ultrasound for tissue density, this can also be carried out on the same day.
Mammography vs. breast ultrasound
Mammograms can identify subtle changes in the breast tissue and tiny areas of calcification, which may be missed on a breast ultrasound. Calcifications can be benign, but they can also be the early stages of certain types of breast cancer, so if left undetected, they can spread. Regular screening with mammography is vital.