About the Service
The North of Scotland Breast Screening Service is part of a national screening programme. We invite ladies aged between 50 & 70 –every 3 years - for routine mammography, ladies 71 and over are encouraged to attend every 3 years also and are asked to contact their local centre to request an appointment.
We cover a large geographical area – Highland, Western Isles and part of West Grampian. Ladies in the Inverness area are invited to attend our centre based within Raigmore Hospital, all other ladies are invited to a mobile unit which travels to their local area.
When ladies attend for screening their personal details will be checked and they will be shown to a changing area where they will be asked to undress to the waist and then to put a top back on. The mammographer will then take them into another area to explain and carry out the procedure. This involves positioning and compressing each breast in the x-ray machine. This procedure lasts only a short time and involves a small dose of radiation. Some women find the procedure uncomfortable and a few may find it painful – it will not harm breasts. The mammographers will be able to answer any questions or concerns ladies might have about the procedure.
The mammograms are reported by two radiologists and results are usually posted within about 3 – 4 weeks of appointments. The majority of ladies will then simply be invited again 3 years later as part of the routine screening programme.
Some ladies may be called back for further mammograms if the technical quality of their x-rays does not meet required standards, this is nothing to worry about and the whole appointment is usually very short. A very small percentage of ladies may need to be recalled because the films produced suggest that further tests are required. These appointments will require ladies to come to raigmore hospital, inverness. Ladies will usually be seen by a breast care nurse, breast clinician, radiologist and mammographer.who will decide which further tests are necessary.these appointments can last up to an hour and ladies are encouraged to take along someone if they wish. Results from these tests are usually availabe within 48 hours. The majority of ladies called back for further assessment are reassured and discharged from the clinic they will be eligible to attend again in 3 years time. A few may require to undergo surgery, these ladies will have a full discussion with the consultant breast surgeon who will outline their treatment options.
If ladies have any concerns in between routine screening they should see their GP.
