Swollen lymph nodes are a sign that your body is making antibodies to fight infection, which is exactly what a vaccine is for. But doctors say getting a mammogram shortly before can lead to a false positive.
The Society of Breast Imaging is warning the medical community of this temporary side effect now that the COVID-19 vaccine is being administered.
Dr. Priya Sareen of Lehigh Valley Health Network says she sees a lot of swollen lymph nodes in women who have recently been vaccinated.
“It does lead to a little more anxiety because you know, when we first see these, we unfortunately have to call women back and have an ultrasound, usually to document the lymph nodes,” Sareen said.
Sareen says additional follow-up is needed.
But health officials are trying to avoid the false positive by changing the pre-screening process for mammograms, educating women about the temporary side effects of the vaccine, and when women should get their mammograms.
“About 4 to 6 weeks after their second injection,” Sareen said. “You know we certainly don’t want women to delay getting that vaccination, or if you know you have some time before you get that first shot, do it ahead of time.”
Sareen says the most important thing to remember is that the side effect of swollen lymph nodes is only temporary, and women over the age of 40 should not delay preventive screenings or forgo the vaccine.
Sareen says both are powerful tools for saving lives.