What is a risk of mammography when the patient has implants?

• A. Rupture
• B. Infection
• C. Bleeding
• D. Allergic reaction

Answer: (A)

Mammography compresses the breast to spread out tissue for a clearer image. For someone with implants, that compression can transmit stress to the implant itself. This mechanical force is the main imaging-related risk, and it can lead to implant rupture, especially with older or more vulnerable implants. In clinical practice, radiographers use implant‑displaced views (Eklund technique) to image the breast while reducing pressure on the implant and still assess the surrounding tissue. The other options—infection, bleeding, allergic reaction—are not typical risks from the imaging procedure itself, since no implants are being incised or injected during a routine mammogram. Rupture is the most plausible risk associated with the imaging process.