mammography

[ma-mog-ruh-fee]

noun

1. x-ray photography of a breast, especially for detection of tumors.

mammography

/ mæˈmɒɡrəfɪ /

noun

1. the technique of using X-rays to examine the breast in the early detection of cancer

mammography

1. Examination of the breasts using x-rays. Mammography is useful in locating tumors of the breast that are too small to be detected by other means.

Other Word Forms

• mammographic adjective
• mammograph noun

Word History and Origins

Origin of mammography¹

First recorded in 1935–40; mamm(a) ² + -o- + -graphy

Example Sentences

"I saw the doctor on Monday – on the following Thursday I had mammography and a biopsy and from then on it went so quickly my head was spinning, almost."

From BBC

Johnson said she believes this could help the recruitment of more radiographers and open up the job to more qualified people because "mammography doesn't get as much publicity" as other health professions.

From BBC

Preventive Services Task Force cited recently for lowering the age for starting mammography screening to 40 again from 50.

From New York Times

The retrospective study compared two groups of women between the ages of 50 and 69 who underwent biennial mammography screening in the Capital Region of Denmark.

From Science Daily

The mammography recommendation has a “B” grade, meaning it has moderate net benefit.

From Seattle Times