Mammograms made by taking X-rays of the breasts have saved lives by detecting breast cancer tumors before they were visible to the naked eye or even felt upon physical examination of the breast. But traditional mammograms don't always give a clear picture of breast tissue, requiring follow-up exams and tests for many women. Digital mammography has several advantages over film technology.
No Waiting
Traditional mammograms require a wait while films are developed. The images from digital mammography can be viewed immediately.
Magnification
The images on digital mammograms can be magnified to get a closer look at any suspected problem areas. Technicians can zoom in for a close up.
Contrast
The technician can easily adjust the brightness or contrast of the digital image. This is a plus when viewing dense breast tissue, since dense tissue and tumors may both appear white on traditional mammograms. By adjusting the contrast or brightness the technician can more readily distinguish healthy tissue from problem cells.
Speed
The digital mammogram equipment makes an image of the breast in a fraction of a second, meaning the woman receiving the mammogram spends less time with her breast compressed, a position that's quite uncomfortable.
Storage and Transmission
Film mammographies are stored in envelopes filed on shelves, which takes up a lot of room. If you want a different physician to see your old films for comparison to a new mammogram, the films have to be physically transported to the new doctor, which can be expensive and isn't always practical. Digital mammograms are stored on computer disks and can be transmitted quickly via computer to a doctor anywhere in the world.
Better Results
A 2001 study of more than 49,000 women in the United States and Canada found that digital mammograms were 15 to 28 percent better at detecting tumors in women with dense breast tissue, women who were pre or peri-menopausal, and in women under age 50.
Tags: breast tissue, dense breast, dense breast tissue, digital mammograms