Raleigh, North Carolina – Research shows that the coronavirus vaccine is raising red flags on mammograms.
Between 8 and 16 percent of people receiving the vaccine will develop swollen lymph nodes. While inflammation can be a sign that the body is responding to the virus and producing antibodies, it can also be a sign of cancer during a mammogram.
To avoid a false positive on a mammogram, the The Society of Breast Imaging has recommended that women pass the screening before getting vaccinated or wait four to six weeks after receiving the second dose of the vaccine.
But Dr. Laura Thomas, a radiologist at Raleigh Radiology, discouraged women from skipping the annual checkup during the pandemic.
“That said, I would encourage women to get you a mammogram if you have any symptoms like chest pain or a lump,” Thomas said. “A painful lump that has yet to be checked.”
He said he has not seen the same side effects in patients who have received a flu vaccine or the shingles vaccine.