What is the radiation dose received in mammography screening?
A typical mammographic screening examination involving 2 views of each breast (total 4 mammograms) delivers a dose of between 3 and 5 mGy to the glandular tissue. Dose expresses the X-ray energy absorbed in a specific tissue. In the breast it is the glandular tissue that is the most radiosensitive. The usual procedure is to estimate and express the dose as the average dose or more specifically the mean glandular dose (MGD) within each breast. Women with smaller than average breasts will receive a lower MGD. Doses are higher for women with larger breasts. Any additional images that might be required will add to the dose received.
