Dr. Melvin Silverstein answers the question: 'Implants And Mammograms?'
Question: If I have had an implant does that compromise the accuracy of the screening mammogram?
Answer: If you've had a breast implant, in other words an augmentation, and then you have a mammogram that mammogram generally speaking will be less accurate. If the implant is behind the pectoralis major muscle, then we can do a pretty good mammogram.
If the implant is in front of the pectoralis major muscle, that's your chest muscle, then it's more difficult to do that mammogram. We have some tricks. We can push the implant back and pull the breast forward and that often will give us a better mammogram. But I would say as a general rule if you have an implant in place, your mammogram won't be as good as if you've never been augmented.
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