Your Vaccine is Important but so is Your Mammogram

Prioritize Your Mammography

At the onset of COVID-19, screening mammography was put on hold to decrease the spread of the virus. One consequence of this has been a substantial decrease in screening for cancer and a subsequent decline in the number of early breast cancers diagnosed.

Schedule a mammogram

It is recommended that annual mammography be resumed as soon as possible. Facilities are seeing a rise in the number of suspicious-looking lymph nodes which may be a result of having a mammogram close to receiving the COVID-19 vaccine or booster.  However swollen lymph nodes do not have to mean that something is wrong. On the contrary, it often means the body is doing its job to fight infection. Since mammograms detect changes in lymph nodes, it is important to schedule a mammogram on a regular annual basis. If there happens to be a swollen lymph node it is something that can be watched but the benefits of getting annual mammography on time outweigh the risks of not getting one.

Getting a mammogram too close to receiving a vaccine will not cause harm –  it simply means a retest will need to be administered to ensure that the lymph nodes have returned to “normal” size. If your appointment and your COVID-19 vaccine happen to be scheduled close together simply make the physician aware so they can be on the lookout and consider all of the factors that might impact a change in the nodes.

Connecticut Breast Imaging is happy to answer all questions regarding mammograms and COVID-19 vaccines. The practice is always prepared to care for all patients in the safest and most compassionate manner. So, make your personal healthcare a priority and make an appointment today.

 

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Submitted by Newtown, CT

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