A New Ally in the Fight Against Breast Cancer
Breast cancer will affect an average of one in eight women sometime in their
lifetime. It is the second most common cause of cancer related deaths in women.
Numerous studies prove that early detection is a vital component in the successful
treatment of breast cancer.
Mammograms play a central part in the early detection of breast cancer because
they can detect changes in the breast that may be early signs of cancer, but are
too small or subtle to be felt. The use of mammography has greatly enhanced the
ability to detect breast cancers at earlier stages. Now a new technology called full
field digital mammography shows great promise in the fight against breast cancer.
What is Full Field Digital Mammography?
Digital mammography uses computers and specially designed digital detectors to
produce an image that can be displayed on a high-resolution computer monitor,
and transmitted and stored just like computer files.
From a patient’s point of view, having a digital mammogram is very much like having
a conventional screen-film mammogram. Both film-based and digital mammography
use compression and x-rays to create clear images of the inside of the breast. During all mammography exams, the technologist positions the patient to image
the breast from different angles and compresses the breast with a paddle to obtain
optimal image quality.
Unlike film-based mammography, digital mammograms produce images that
appear on the technologist’s monitor in a matter of seconds. There is no waiting
for film to develop, which can mean a shorter time spent in the breast imaging suite. |
