When we go to the hospital for a breast appointment, the doctor often sends you to the radiology department for a mammogram. So, what is a mammogram and what does it do? A mammogram is actually a mammogram that uses an advanced mammography machine to take pictures of the breast to obtain its imaging data. Experienced radiologists read the mammograms and combine them with clinical findings to analyze and determine whether there are any problems with your breast and whether there are any lesions that can be reflected by imaging, and then perform further qualitative analysis based on the imaging characteristics of the lesions. A mammography machine is a machine that uses the metal material molybdenum to make a target surface and a filter plate to produce soft X-rays. The pictures taken with a mammography machine can make some fine structures and small lesions of the breast appear clearly on the pictures. Mammography has become one of the most effective and reliable means of diagnosing breast lesions today, and is the gold standard for examining clinically negative microscopic breast cancers by palpation. In foreign countries, this technique has become a routine part of breast screening. For a mammogram, the doctor will ask that upper body clothing be removed. To save money, only bilateral cephalocaudal and internal and external oblique views of the breast are usually taken, and in special cases, additional local spot films are taken. During the mammogram, the machine’s compression plate will apply appropriate pressure to the breast, and you may feel a little discomfort, but it is not a problem. The soft X-rays from the mammography machine pass through the breast and are sensitized in a special X-ray film in a dark box to form an image. Because of the different densities of the different tissue components of the breast structure, different images are created on the x-ray, and it is through these density-dependent pictures that radiologists diagnose breast disease. You may have heard of lobular hyperplasia, fibroadenoma, breast cancer, etc. Most of these diseases start after puberty. It is worth noting that the incidence of breast cancer is gradually increasing and becoming younger as a result of environmental and dietary factors. Therefore, it is important for women after puberty to check their breasts regularly and seek medical attention as soon as possible if there is any abnormality in their appearance or if a mass can be palpated. If conditions allow, it is recommended that women over the age of 35 should have regular mammograms every 1-2 years.