Yes — you can, and generally should, keep having mammograms with breast implants. The imaging team uses extra pictures called Eklund views (also called implant-displacement views), in which the implant is gently moved back against the chest wall and the breast tissue is pulled forward, so more of the tissue can be seen. Mentioning your implants when you book is the single most helpful thing you can do, because it lets the centre allow extra time and staff the appointment properly.
Key Takeaways
- Mammograms remain possible with implants — the appointment is adapted, not cancelled.
- Eklund views are the key adaptation: the implant is eased back and the natural breast tissue drawn forward and compressed on its own.
- Expect more images than a standard screening set, because both the usual views and the displacement views are taken.
- Even with displacement views, some tissue behind an implant cannot be pictured; that is one reason other imaging is sometimes discussed as an addition.
- Tell the team about any change you have noticed — a new lump, a change in shape, pain — and about any concern you have about the implant itself.
- Your screening schedule is individual; whether implants change it is a question for your own doctor.
Why Implants Change the Picture
A mammogram works by compressing the breast between two plates so the tissue spreads thin enough to X-ray clearly. An implant sits within or behind that tissue and does not compress the way natural tissue does, and on the image it appears as a bright, solid shape that can hide tissue in front of or behind it. Without adaptation, a meaningful part of the breast could go unpictured — which is a solvable problem, and Eklund views are the solution.
Whether implants sit in front of or behind the chest muscle, and how much natural tissue you have, both affect how much of the breast the standard views capture. Our pillar guide to how breast cancer is found and diagnosed sets out the imaging pathway as a whole, and our description of what happens during a mammogram covers the standard appointment that these extra views build on.
What Eklund Views Are
Eklund views are named after the radiologist who described the technique. For each one, the technologist gently moves the implant back toward the chest wall and holds it there, then pulls the breast tissue in front of it forward onto the imaging plate and compresses the tissue on its own. Freed from the implant behind it, that tissue spreads and photographs much more clearly.
| View | How it is taken | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Standard views | The whole breast, implant included, is positioned and compressed as usual | The overall breast and the tissue the implant does not cover |
| Eklund (implant-displacement) views | The implant is eased back against the chest wall while the tissue in front is pulled forward and compressed alone | The natural tissue in front of the implant, spread clearly |
Both sets are normally taken at the same appointment, which is why a mammogram with implants involves more images and a little more time than a standard screening set. The technologist will position you for each view; the displacement step involves firm handling of the implant, and you can say at any point if something feels uncomfortable.
What the Appointment Is Like
Most of the appointment will feel familiar if you have had a mammogram before: the same machine, the same brief compression for each image. The differences are the extra views, the positioning work around the implant, and the questions. Expect to be asked whether your implants are above or below the muscle if you know, whether you have had any problems or further procedures, and whether you have noticed any change in how the breast or the implant feels.
Compression sometimes worries people who have implants. The team is trained to compress the tissue as much as is needed for a clear image while treating the implant carefully, and the displacement views compress tissue separately from the implant. If you have a specific worry — about discomfort, about an implant you believe may already be damaged, or about a recent procedure — raise it before the appointment starts, with the imaging team, and follow their advice about your own situation. Our comparison of diagnostic vs screening mammograms explains which kind of appointment you are having and why the distinction matters for what happens next.
If you know details about your implants — roughly when they were placed, whether they sit in front of or behind the chest muscle, and whether you have had them revised since — mention them when you book or at the appointment. You do not need any paperwork to be screened, but what you know helps the technologist choose positioning, and it helps the radiologist compare today’s images with any earlier ones you have had elsewhere.
What a Mammogram Cannot Show Well
Even excellent Eklund views have a limit: tissue that lies behind the implant, deep against the chest wall, may still be partly hidden. That is a fact about geometry, not about the skill of your team — and it is why, for some women, additional imaging is discussed. Breast ultrasound can look at particular areas without compression, and our guides to supplemental breast screening options and automated breast ultrasound explain how extra imaging fits alongside mammography. Dense tissue can add a second see-through problem of its own, covered in our article on dense breasts and screening.
A mammogram also isn’t a check of the implant itself. If your concern is the implant — a change in shape, a feeling that something has shifted, discomfort — say so plainly; assessing implant integrity is a different question, sometimes needing different imaging, and your own doctor or imaging team can advise which route fits. And keep the ordinary rule alongside all of this: a new lump or change should be reported promptly, not saved for the next scheduled screening. How often screening should happen is an individual plan — our overview of how often mammograms are usually discussed explains the factors, and current guidance is published by the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.
Questions to Ask Your Doctor
- Should I tell the screening centre anything specific about my implants when I book?
- Will Eklund views be taken at my appointment, and should I allow extra time?
- Does my screening plan change because I have implants — in frequency or in the imaging used?
- Is any additional imaging worth discussing in my case, such as ultrasound?
- I have noticed a change in the breast or the implant — who should examine it, and how soon?
- If I am considering implant surgery or a revision, is there imaging I should have first?
Frequently Asked Questions
Can a mammogram damage or rupture an implant?
This is the most common worry, and it is understandable. Mammography teams are trained to work carefully around implants, and compression in the displacement views is applied to the tissue rather than the implant itself. If you are concerned that an implant may already be damaged, tell the imaging team before the appointment and follow their advice about your specific situation.
Will it hurt more than a regular mammogram?
Experiences vary. The positioning for Eklund views involves firm handling, and some people find specific views uncomfortable, though each compression lasts only seconds. Tell the technologist if something hurts — positioning can often be adjusted, and they would rather know.
Do I need to go to a special centre?
Not necessarily a special centre, but experience matters: a centre whose technologists regularly image women with implants will be practised at displacement views. When you book, saying “I have implants” is what ensures the right appointment length and staff.
Does having implants mean I need screening more often?
Not automatically. Screening intervals are set by your overall risk picture — age, family history, personal history — and implants are one factor in how screening is done rather than a rule about how often. Your own doctor can confirm the plan that applies to you.
What if I find a lump between mammograms?
Report it promptly, exactly as you would without implants. A lump is assessed on its own terms, usually with a diagnostic appointment and targeted imaging, and should never wait for the next screening round.
Related Articles
- How Breast Cancer Is Found and Diagnosed: The Complete Guide
- What Happens During a Mammogram
- Diagnostic Mammogram vs Screening Mammogram: What Is the Difference?
- Supplemental Breast Screening: Options Beyond the Standard Mammogram
- Dense Breasts: What It Means for Screening
- Automated Breast Ultrasound (ABUS): Screening Without a Handheld Wand
This article is for general educational purposes only and is not medical, legal, or financial advice. It does not replace professional care. Talk to your doctor or care team about your own situation. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911.