The Next Generation of Breast Cancer Detection
Mammograms have been the gold standard for breast cancer detection. But we now have advanced technology called Tomosynthesis that is 43% more accurate. Here are some of the problems with traditional 2D Mammograms and why we simply could no longer limit our screenings to 2D when better detection is available.
Disadvantages with Mammograms
- Unclear=Compression causes overlapping in the breast tissue, which can obscure imaging.
- Limited =Mammograms typically only take 2 images at orthogonal axes.
- Inconclusive= Mammograms produce false positives and false negatives. Of all biopsies taken from breasts that tested positive, only 20% came back with cancer.
- Unreliable=Up to 30% of cancers go undetected by standard mammograms.
- Not enough=More than 50% of cancers are missed in dense breast tissue where tumors are more difficult to find. More than half of all women have dense breasts.
Advantages of Tomosynthesis
- Comfort= Minimal pressure is needed, just enough to hold the breast in place.
- Less radiation= A lower dose of radiation is required, up to 50% reduction for dense breasts. In fact, you receive more radiation from an airplane ride than from Tomosynthesis.
- Affordable=The cost is expected to drop below the cost of a traditional mammogram.
- Next generation of technology=It’s the only procedure expected to fully replace a mammogram.
- Accurate=Reduces recalls and biopsies by 40%.
- Speed=A 3D picture of your breast tissue is created through 25 images so even the smallest cancers can be found.
- Reliable=Detects more cancers, saves more lives and ensures the next generation of women will see TOMOrrow.
To learn more about Tomosynthesis please watch this video.