Swollen lymph nodes are a sign that your body is producing antibodies to fight an infection, exactly what a vaccine is intended to do. But doctors say getting one shortly before a mammogram can lead to a false positive.
The Society of Breast Imaging is alerting the medical community to this temporary side effect now that the COVID-19 vaccine is being administered.
Dr. Priya Sareen of Lehigh Valley Health Network states that she sees many swollen lymph nodes in newly vaccinated women.
“It leads to a little more anxiety because you know, when we first see them, unfortunately we have to call women back and do an ultrasound 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 process of pre-detecting mammograms, educating women about the temporary side effects of the vaccine and when women should get them.
“About 4 to 6 weeks after his second shot,” Sareen said. “You know we certainly don’t want women to delay vaccination or if you know you have a while before you get that first vaccine, do it sooner.”
Sareen says the important thing to remember is that the side effect of swollen lymph nodes is only temporary and that women over the age of 40 should not suspend preventive testing or give up the vaccine.
Sareen says both are powerful tools for saving lives.