Breast Augmentation and Mammograms

Tampa, St. Petersburg, Sarasota, and Clearwater, Florida Breast Surgery

If you are considering breast augmentation, you want to make sure that you are still able to get the regular, effective mammograms you need to protect yourself from breast cancer. The good news is that although breast implants do make mammograms more challenging, studies show mammograms are still effective at detecting breast cancer after breast augmentation.

This page summarizes some of the background information on mammograms after breast augmentation, but if you have detailed questions the best way to get them answered is in a personal consultation with a board-certified plastic surgeon. To talk to Dr. Antonio J. Gayoso, please contact Gayoso Plastic Surgery and schedule a consultation at our Tampa area practice.

Mammograms after Breast Augmentation: What the Studies Say

Breast implants do obscure part of the breast, and it is likely that this will make it harder for your mammograms to detect breast cancers early. One study confirms this, saying that the sensitivity of mammograms after breast augmentation is about 45%, compared to 67% for women without breast implants. However, the study said that the tumors were of similar size when discovered in women with and without breast implants, so the study authors concluded that breast implants do not significantly delay detection of breast cancer and are unlikely to increase a woman's risk of serious consequences from breast cancer.

This conclusion was confirmed by a larger study that reviewed the records of more than 13,000 women with breast implants. This review showed that breast cancer rates and adverse consequences of breast cancer were about the same for women with breast implants and without.

How to Get the Best Mammograms after breast Augmentation

Although mammograms are still generally effective after breast augmentation, you can help them be still more effective at detecting cancer early. First, submuscular placement of breast implants can help. The Eklund technique is a special mammogram technique designed to increase visibility of the breast tissue in an augmented breast, but researchers estimate it shows only 64% of breasts with subglandular implants. Submuscular placement of breast implants increase visibility of breast tissue up to 85%. You can also increase the sensitivity of your mammograms by having a screening prior to surgery to establish a baseline view of your breast tissue.

And when you go for your screenings, these tips will help you get the most effective mammograms:

• Use a facility where they see many women with breast implants
• Mention your breast implants prior to your mammogram and ask to work with an experienced technician
• Talk to your doctor about improvements in x-ray technology. A few studies have found that digital x-rays increase the sensitivity of mammograms

Although some people have talked about the potential use of MRIs to improve screening results, this is not currently recommended as a primary screening tool, but may be used if a mammogram does not give clear results.

Don't Worry about Your Breast Implants

Some women worry that mammograms will cause their breast implants to rupture. This does happen, but it is very rare and should never prevent a woman from getting regular mammograms to ensure early detection of possible cancers.

Dr. Gayoso's Personal Commitment to Safety

Dr. Antonio J. Gayoso has extensive personal experience with breast cancer, and he does not want to put any of his patients at risk. During your consultation he will talk to you about your medical history, including the occurrence of breast cancer in your family. He will then make personal recommendations to ensure you get a breast augmentation that can achieve your cosmetic results without increasing your breast cancer risk.

To learn more about breast augmentation and mammograms, please schedule a consultation with Dr. Gayoso at his Tampa area practice.  We happily serve patients from Tampa, Clearwater and St Petersburg, Florida.