What happens when a mammogram is taken?
A woman will be asked to undress from the waist up and put on a gown that opens in the front. A radiographer (who are all female within the Northern Ireland Breast Screening Programme) will position the breast on a plastic tray before lowering a second tray onto it to compress the breast for the x-ray. The radiographer will then ask the woman to raise her arm over her head and hold her breath for a few seconds as she takes the x-ray. The radiographer will then take two views of each breast, one from above and another one from the side. Women are advised not to wear deodorant, talcum powder, perfume or lotion on the day of the mammogram being taken as these can show up on the film.
