(HealthDayNews) -- A mammogram is a low-dose X-ray picture of the breast. Along with a breast exam, it's the best way to find breast cancer in its earliest stages when it's easiest to treat, the National Cancer Institute says.

A mammogram can help a skilled physician find tumors that are too small for you or your doctor to feel.

When you go for a mammogram, the technician will place each breast between two X-ray panels. You may feel some discomfort, but each X-ray takes less than a minute.

A woman's chances of getting breast cancer increase as she ages. Women in their 40s and older should get a mammogram every one to two years.