The founder and lead surgeon of Lewisville Flower Mound Oncology talks about the need.

Lewisville, TX – Pregnant women are told to do everything possible to avoid exposing their babies from anything that may harm them. From chemicals and medications to diagnostic tests that rely on low doses of radiation to perform, they’re often told it’s best to wait, at least for a time. When it comes to medically necessary mammograms, however, researchers are finding there may be no need to wait to obtain potentially lifesaving information.

To arrive at that recommendation, researchers recently looked at the level of “scatter radiation” exposure women experience while undergoing routine mammograms. The numbers were surprisingly small. In fact, radiation exposure to different parts of the body during a mammogram was far less than the maximum threshold recommended by the National Council on Radiation Protection and Measurements for fetal exposure. That agency has found that fetal abnormality risk is very low with exposure levels below 50 mGy. Mammograms produce exposure levels as low as 0.011 mGy, falling well within the acceptable range, the study found.

“While most doctors will recommend holding off on routine mammograms and other such tests during the first part of pregnancy, if there is a clinical reason to order such a test expectant mothers can now breathe a little easier,” says Dr. Gregory Echt, founder and lead surgeon at Lewisville Flower Mound Oncology. “This simple diagnostic procedure relies on a very low dose of radiation. And, as the study has found, exposure to the fetus is extremely low. If breast cancer potential is the concern prompting the test, there may be no significant value in holding off.”

Women who are suspected to have breast cancer during pregnancy may find a number of options open to them in regard to treatment and protecting the unborn baby. It is best for women, however, to consult directly with their doctors on the best course of action in a particular case.

About Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group
The Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group has state-of-the-art facilities that offer individualized care to patients throughout North Texas. With a team of expert oncologists and other specialists on staff, the Lewisville/Flower Mound Oncology Group treats a variety of cancers and blood disorders with an eye towards the newest advancements available in diagnostic technology and treatments.