As she prepared for her mammogram at our breast center, I happened to hear a patient say, “I want a mammo tech who doesn’t squeeze too hard. Can you find a tech like that for me?” My response was, “I hope we don’t have any such techs working here.” Are you surprised by my response? So was she.

Breast compression is one of the keys to a good mammogram. The less tissue the radiologist needs to look through, the more accurate and better quality mammogram you are going to receive. This doesn’t mean that your breast needs to be compressed as thin as tissue paper. But the more compression you can tolerate for a few brief seconds the better off you will be in ensuring that the mammogram was done well and read accurately.

If you find the breast compression in mammography too unpleasant, ask the doctor whether you may take an over-the-counter pain reliever an hour before the X-ray is done. It’s to your benefit, and that of your breasts, to have a good quality mammogram. Next time you are due for a mammogram, go in and say, “I’d like the most experienced mammo tech here who does a really good job of imaging breast tissue.”