How is a mammogram done for a woman with breast implants?

Similar to normal: The same machines are used to perform mammograms on women with implants. The goal is to displace the implants as much as possible in order to see the breast tissue. This is made much more difficult when the implants are placed above the muscle rather than below. While the quality of these mammograms are good, i still advise women at high risk for breast cancer to avoid implants.

Same: Mammograms are performed the same for women with or without breast implants. However, breast implants may require additional views and/or MRI of the breasts for a complete evaluation.

Eklund technique: Studies have shown that mammography is safe and effective in the presence of breast implants. Make sure your mammography technologist is aware that you have the implants. They should be familiar with and utilize a special maneuver called the eklund technique which lifts the breast tissue up and away from the implant during the mammogram.

Breat implant mammo: Extra views called eklund compression views are obtained in which the first view encompasses the tissue and the implant whereas the second view attempts to grab the breast tissue only while compressing the implant. If this fails to adequately visualize the desired area, an MRI can be ordered to obtain additional information.

In addition to: the standard 4 views, 4 additional special implant displacement views are performed, for a total of 8 views(4 each breast)