Swollen lymph nodes are a sign that your body is making antibodies to fight an infection, just what a vaccine is meant to be. But doctors say that getting one shortly before a mammogram can lead to a false positive.
The Association of Breast Imaging warns the medical community about this temporary side effect now that the COVID-19 vaccine is being administered.
Dr Priya Sareen of Lehigh Valley Health Network says she sees many swollen lymph nodes in women who have recently been vaccinated.
“It leads to a little more anxiety because you know that once we see it, we unfortunately 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 positives by changing the pre-screening process for mammograms, informing women about the temporary side effects of the vaccine and when women should get their mammograms.
“About 4 to 6 weeks after their second shot,” Sareen said. “You know we certainly do not want women to delay vaccination, or that you should do it beforehand if you know you have time before you get the first chance.”
Sareen says the important thing to remember is that the side effect of swollen lymph nodes is only temporary, and that women older than 40 should not delay preventive examinations or abandon the vaccine.
Sareen says both are powerful tools for saving lives.