When Should I Get My First Mammogram?
Posted on Sep 21, 2017 11:50am PDT
Concord Imaging in San Antonio performs 3D mammograms on women of varying ages. The age
at which you’ll have your first mammogram depends on your doctor’s
recommendations. Your doctor will consider the current guidelines and
your individual risk factors, such as your age. Of course, if you or your
doctor detect potential signs of breast cancer, such as a lump in your
breast or underarm area, then you should visit the imaging center to have
a diagnostic mammogram right away, regardless of your age.
Otherwise, the
American Cancer Society recommends that women ages 45 to 54 receive a screening mammogram annually,
but women ages 40 to 44 should have the option to get annual exams if
they wish. At age 55, women may choose to have mammograms yearly or every
2 years. As long as women are in good overall health and are expected
to live a decade or longer, they can continue receiving these screening
tests. Your personalized screening recommendations, as designed by your
doctor, may vary depending on whether you’re a cancer survivor,
whether you have a family history of breast cancer, and whether you have
certain lifestyle risk factors of breast cancer.
