Mammography - Patient

Experience:
I arrived at the mobile screening van, and after reception I was asked to strip down to the waist and invited to put on a gown. When it was my turn I was asked to come into the x-ray room where I took off the gown and the nurse places the breast on a small horizontal shelf by the machine. She then lowered a plate on to the breast to keep it firmly in position. The radiographer went behind a screen an operated the machine for a few seconds.

I was told the report on the mammogram would be sent to both myself and my GP in a couple of weeks. I was then able to get dressed and leave.

Duration:
The time taken to have the mammogram was not longer than 5 minutes and my total time in the facility was about 15 minutes, according to how the team were managing to keep to their program.

Side effects: There were no side effects and the only slight discomfort arose when each breast was compressed between the plates. However this was quite tolerable and did not last very long.

Mammography - Patient 2

Purpose:
A close friend of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer last year. She had found it in its early stages through self examination and was successfully treated with radiotherapy followed by a course of chemotherapy. This was very much in my mind when I received a letter offering me a routine mammogram, so I was eager to take advantage of the offer.

Experience:
I went to the car park of my local town hall to a mobile breast screening unit. It was in a specially designed trailer, with a very small waiting room, from which I was called into a tiny office which doubled as a kitchen for the staff working there. I had already filled in a brief questionnaire and had to answer a few questions before being shown into the next tiny section which held two changing rooms.

I took off all my top garments and put my coat back on as it was a cold day, and waited to be called in by the radiographer. In her small room was a Siemens 'Mammomat' x-ray machine. She took some time to position me carefully so that she would get a complete picture of my right breast. This involved standing at a slight angle to the machine with my right arm draped across to hold onto a bar on the far side and my breast resting on a plastic plate. When I was in the correct position the radiographer wound a second plastic plate down onto the top of my breast, clamping it into position, then she turned a knob to compress the plate further down onto my breast. This was rather uncomfortable. Then I had to hold my breath while she went behind a screen to operate the x-ray. The machine was then swung over so that my left breast could be positioned on the plate and the whole procedure was repeated. Altogether this took about five minutes.

I went through into the next tiny compartment in order to get dressed and exited into the windy car park. I now have to wait four weeks for the results. The breast screening unit will write to me and to my GP with the results.

Duration:
The whole thing took about 20 minutes, which is time well spent, either to know that nothing is wrong or to get an early indication if there is a possibility of breast cancer.

Side effects:
There were no side effects, just the discomfort of the plate pressing down onto my breast.

Mammography - Patient 3 (Symptomatic Mammography)

Purpose:
Experiences of a patient attending for mammography, ultrasound examination and cyst aspiration.

Experience:
I am in my late 40s and was referred by my GP to the Breast Clinic having felt a lump in my right breast. The consultant asked me the story of my lump and examined my breasts. He reassured me that he was almost certain that the lump was a cyst but recommended I attend for mammography and ultrasound examination to be certain. These tests are usually performed on the same day and this had been explained in the written information I received with my appointment details.

After booking in with reception and being shown where to wait, I was asked to come in to the x-ray room for my mammogram. I was asked to undress to the waist and an explanation of what was going to happen was given.

The first breast was placed on a plate and a second plate lowered on top to keep it firmly in position. The films were taken from two different angles. The procedure was then repeated for the second breast. Total time taken was no more than 5 minutes. I got dressed and was asked to wait outside until I was called for my ultrasound.

A few minutes later, I was asked to come into another room. I was asked to undress and lie down on the couch (covered with a sheet). The radiologist arrived and explained what the ultrasound examination would entail and began the examination of my right breast. Examination confirmed the presence of multiple cysts, some of which were then aspirated (fluid drawn off using a needle). I remained awake during the examination and described the procedure as uncomfortable but bearable. The radiologist confirmed the clinical consultant's diagnosis of cysts and reassured me accordingly advising me to do my breast checks regularly.

Duration:
From leaving the Breast Clinic to completion of examinations took an hour.