What are the two main types of mammography?

The two main types of mammography are screening and diagnostic. Screening mammography is performed on asymptomatic women to detect breast cancer early in individuals who do not have any noticeable symptoms. Its goal is to find cancer at an early stage when treatment is more likely to be successful. This type typically involves a standard set of images taken at specific angles.

Diagnostic mammography, on the other hand, is used when there is a suspicion of breast cancer due to symptoms such as a lump, changes in breast size or shape, or other abnormalities found during screening. This type is more detailed and may involve additional views or imaging techniques to further investigate the breast tissue.

The other options, such as ultrasound and MRI, are imaging modalities that can also be used in breast assessments but are not classified as types of mammography. Restricted and unrestrictive do not correspond to any recognized categories in mammography practice, and while digital and film refer to the formats in which mammograms are captured, they do not categorize the purpose of the mammogram itself. Thus, screening and diagnostic are the terms that encapsulate the main approaches to mammography based on the patient's condition and the clinical goals of the imaging.