Raleigh, NC – Research shows coronavirus vaccine raises red flags on mammograms.
Between 8 and 16 percent of people who get the vaccine will have swollen lymph nodes. While the swelling could be a sign that your body is building a response to the virus and making antibodies, it could also be a sign of cancer during a mammogram.
To avoid a false positive on a mammogram, the Society of Breast Imaging has recommended that women undergo screening before being vaccinated or wait four to six weeks after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.
But Dr. Laura Thomas, a radiologist with Raleigh Radiology, discouraged women from skipping annual checkups altogether during the pandemic.
“That said, I would encourage women to get your mammogram if you have a symptom such as breast pain or a lump,” Thomas said. “A painful lump, it still needs to be checked.”
She said she has not seen the same side effects in patients who received a flu shot or the shingles vaccine.