Radiation risk in breast screening
Understanding the role and risk of radiation in breast screening, so you can make informed decisions about your breast health.
Breast screening and radiation
Breast screening (mammography), uses low levels of ionising radiation to capture images of your breast tissue. These levels in both 2D and 3D mammography are safe and well within Australian guidelines.
The average dose is similar to the radiation amount you’d receive in a return flight from Australia to London – or a 3-month exposure to the natural radiation in the environment around us.
At our clinics, we routinely monitor and test our machines to ensure radiation remains within safe levels.
Will breast screening lead to thyroid cancer?
Scientific studies do not support any link between breast screening and an increased risk of thyroid cancer.
Your thyroid is not directly exposed to the x-ray beam during a breast screen, so the radiation dose to the thyroid is incredibly low.
At BreastScreen Victoria, we do not endorse the use of thyroid guards or shields during screening. These shields may block some of the breast tissue during the x-ray, which means we’d have to retake the image.
Download the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency’s information sheet [PDF]