6 things that might happen at a mammogram screening – how many do you relate to?

A split image shows a woman holding the pink breast cancer ribbon to her chest, and another woman about to have a mammogram, being shown the equipment by a nurse.

Women in the UK are invited to have a mammogram – a routine breast screening – between the ages of 50 and 53, then invited back every three years until they turn 70. But despite it being one of the best ways to prevent cancer deaths, reports found that four in 10 women still don’t take up their mammogram invitation.

The non-invasive test can detect breast cancer at an early stage and is about 85-90% accurate in detecting abnormalities. Mammography is thought to have reduced breast cancer mortality rates by approx 30-40% in women over 50, making it one of the most impactful medical screening tools ever.