Mammograms With Breast Implants: How Screening Works

You can still have a mammogram with breast implants; you just tell the radiographer you have them, and they use a technique designed for implanted breasts. Screening continues to work, with a few extra pictures taken to see around the implant. This was one of my own quiet worries after surgery, so here is exactly how it goes.

When I had my augmentation abroad, I assumed implants would somehow put screening off the table for good. They do not. Knowing what actually happens in the room made my first mammogram with implants far less daunting than I had built it up to be.

Tell the radiographer first

The most important step is telling the radiographer you have implants, when you book and again when you arrive. Surgery can affect mammogram imaging, which is exactly why the team needs to know in advance. With that one piece of information, they plan extra time, adjust the compression and positioning, and take the additional views designed for implanted breasts. The NHS and other screening services treat this as routine, not as a problem. I now say it twice, at the desk and to the radiographer, just so nothing is missed.

What special Eklund views are

Eklund views, also called implant displacement views, are extra images where the radiographer pushes the implant back and pulls the breast tissue forward. A standard mammogram takes a set number of pictures of each breast; with implants, the team adds these displacement views on top. By easing the implant back against the chest wall and drawing the natural tissue forward over the plate, more of that tissue is captured without the implant blocking it. So a mammogram with implants usually means more pictures, not fewer, and a slightly longer appointment. The technique is named after Gordon Eklund, the radiologist who described it, and it has been a standard part of mammography for women with implants for decades. The placement of your implant can affect how well it works; tissue tends to be easier to displace when the implant sits partly under the chest muscle than when it sits in front of it, which is one of the practical trade-offs of breast implant placement.

Detection considerations to know

Implants are not see-through on X-ray, so they can hide a small amount of breast tissue, and the extra views exist to make up for that. The implant casts a dense shadow on the image, which is why a standard set of pictures alone may not show everything. The displacement views recover much of what would otherwise be obscured. It is still sensible to keep checking your breasts between appointments and to report any new lump, change, or unusual symptom to your doctor, since no single test catches everything. If a specific concern is about the implant itself, such as suspected rupture, ultrasound or MRI is the usual tool rather than a mammogram. It also helps the team to know roughly when you had surgery and what kind of implant you have, so if you can bring those details to your appointment, do. None of this should put you off: it simply means screening for an implanted breast is a slightly more involved version of the same routine test.

Screening still works

Breast screening remains effective with implants, and you should attend every routine appointment as normal. Having implants is a reason to be diligent about screening, not a reason to skip it. The combination of standard images plus displacement views lets the team see a similar amount of tissue to an unimplanted breast in most cases. Regulators including the FDA note that imaging can be affected by implants, which is the case for adapting the technique rather than abandoning screening. If you ever feel rushed or unsure, it is fine to ask whether the displacement views were taken.

How a mammogram fits the bigger picture

Mammogram imaging is one of several practical things implants change, alongside the surgical risks worth understanding before you decide. Implants are not lifetime devices, and effects on screening and breastfeeding sit beside the medical risks of the operation. For the fuller view, see breast augmentation risks and complications and the overall guide to breast augmentation. Understanding all of this before a consultation, as I wish I had, makes the conversation with a surgeon far more useful.

This guide is general information and one patient’s experience, reviewed by a consultant plastic surgeon. It is not medical advice; please discuss screening and any breast changes with your doctor and decide on surgery with a qualified plastic surgeon.