Mammography Goes Digital

Evidence shows that mammograms save lives. The death rate from breast cancer has dropped nearly a third over the past 30 years, thanks largely to early detection from regular mammograms. And those numbers may improve even more with digital mammography.

Learn about this lifesaving screening and the new technology that Sharp Rees-Stealy uses to help detect cancer in its earliest stages.

“Digital mammography takes an electronic image of the breast and stores it directly into a computer, allowing the recorded data to be enhanced, magnified or manipulated for further evaluation,” said Dr. Gene Heard, a Sharp-affiliated radiologist at Sharp Rees-Stealy Medical Centers. “The electronic image also can be printed on film. Older mammography units use film to both capture and display the image.”

According to the National Cancer Institute, the sensitivity of film mammography is somewhat limited in women with dense breasts, a population at higher risk for breast cancer.

Both traditional X-ray film and digital mammograms use a compression technique to provide clear inside views of the breast. However, digital technology offers the following benefits:

  • Digital mammograms are stored on a computer and can be transmitted electronically to other medical experts if needed
  • Digital mammograms can be read immediately on a computer monitor and there’s no waiting for the films to develop
  • The digital images can be refined during viewing; brightness, contrast and clarity can all be manipulated by the radiologist to enhance the image as much as possible
  • The dose of radiation exposure is lower than traditional film mammography

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends mammography screening every 1 to 2 years for women ages 40 through 70. If you’re age 40 or older, speak to your doctor about having a digital mammogram. Your doctor can help decide if it is the right choice for you.

For More Information
To learn more about early detection of breast cancer and digital mammography, talk to your doctor. You can request an appointment online or call 858-499-2600 to speak with one of our helpful representatives.