Australian Government - Department of Health and Ageing
BreastScreen Australia Program

How do I arrange a mammogram?

This section contains a step-by-step guide to making an appointment with a BreastScreen Australia service and tells you how the screening mammogram is taken.

Making an appointment

BreastScreen Australia services provide FREE screening to all women over 40, and specifically targets women aged 50-69 years.

Accreditation of screening centres ensures a high standard of service is maintained. There are currently over 500 screening locations via fixed, relocatable and mobile screening units covering urban, rural and remote areas.

Women over 50 should call 13 20 50 every two years to book their FREE screening mammogram at a screening and assessment service nearest to them.

What will happen?

Step-by-Step Guide to Mammography at BreastScreen Australia

Every two years, women over 50 should call 13 20 50 to make an appointment for their FREE screening mammogram at a BreastScreen Australia screening and assessment service nearest to them.
  1. A mammogram (a low-dose X-ray of the breast) only takes a few minutes and the whole visit takes about half an hour. A doctor's referral is not necessary.
  2. On arrival at a BreastScreen Australia service, every woman is asked to sign a consent form. This tells her that, like other screening tests, mammography is not 100 per cent accurate, but offers her the best chance to detect cancers early when treatment can be most effective.
  3. The woman will be asked to remove their clothes above the waist and put on a gown. The radiographer will explain how the mammogram is taken. The radiographer will adjust the height of the machine to match the woman's height and shape.
  4. Each breast is compressed between two plates to get a clear picture of the breast tissue. Two X-rays are taken of each breast: one from the side and one from the top.
  5. As part of BreastScreen Australia's accreditation standards, mammograms are assessed by two doctors specially trained in screening mammography, at least one of whom must be a radiologist. These doctors decide if there is an abnormality on the X-rays which requires further tests.
  6. BreastScreen Australia services are required to provide mammogram results, in writing, within 28 days. Most women will be informed that there are no signs of cancer.
  7. Less than one per cent of women screened are found to have cancer. Women diagnosed with breast cancer have the option of referral to a clinic specialising in the treatment of breast cancer or returning to their doctor for referral.


Page currency, Latest update: 01 September, 2006