Coronavirus vaccine could lead to false positive on mammogram

Between 8 and 16 percent of people who get the vaccine will develop swollen lymph nodes. While the swelling can be a sign that your body is mounting a response to the virus and building antibodies, it can also be a sign of cancer during a mammogram.

But Dr. Laura Thomas, a radiologist with Raleigh Radiology, discouraged women from skipping the annual check altogether during the pandemic.

Study: More than 50% of women put off mammograms during COVID-19

"That said, I would encourage women to get your mammogram if you have a symptom such as breast pain or a lump," Thomas said. "A painful lump, that still needs to be checked out."

She said she hasn't seen the same side-effects in patients who have received a flu shot or the shingles vaccine.