New Mammography Technique Called Digital

¶ … new mammography technique called digital mammography. The write explores the technique, the benefits and the future of this new technology. There were three sources used to complete this paper.

For several years the medical community has been moving forward in the world of technology. Today, there are procedures that have been improved and advanced because of the advances in technology, including the mammography machine. The old mammography machines were excellent tools for the screening of breast cancer, however, there were often issues with the view, the storage of films and the need to have the patient come back later to have images redone because there was a trechni8cal glitch in the first one. That is all being rectified however, with the advent of the new digital mammography machine.

What it is the digital mammography machine provides the ability to take electronic images of the breast that are able to be manipulated and viewed on a computer. In addition the storage is on the computer as well, which eliminates the need for large storage areas (QUESTIONS and ANSWERS ABOUT DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY (http://www.westchesterimagingforwomen.com/digital_faq.html).

One of the primary advantages with the digital machine is the ability of the screener to manipulate the images and get as clear an angle as possible with each patient's test.

Another benefit of using the digital machine is the fact that it uses less radiation than the former mammography/film technique used.

Digital images give better visibility of the breast, particularly near the skin line, chest wall, and in women with dense breast tissue. The doctor can manipulate the images on the computer screen by zooming in or out and making them lighter or darker. This makes it easier to view otherwise hard to see areas of the breast (QUESTIONS and ANSWERS ABOUT DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY (http://www.westchesterimagingforwomen.com/digital_faq.html)."

The latest study of digital mammography indicates that for women with dense breasts, women who are premenopausal, and women who are younger than 50 reap the greatest benefits from having their mammograms done using a digital mammography machine (QUESTIONS and ANSWERS ABOUT DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY (http://www.westchesterimagingforwomen.com/digital_faq.html).

The machine is called a full field digital mammography and has received quite a bit of positive press in the United States recently.

The traditional film screening techniques of mammography had a reduced ability to detect or spot some breast cancers (Digital Mammography Submitted by: Mark Helvie, M.D. (http://www.cancernews.com/data/Article/210.asp).

The created a need to research and develop a better method of mammography, which lead to the development of the new digital machine.

What is digital mammography?

Conventional film screen mammography uses low energy x-rays that pass through a compressed breast during a mammography examination. The exiting x-rays are absorbed by film (x-ray film) which is then developed into a mammography image that can be held and looked at by the radiologist. With digital mammography, low energy x-rays pass through the breast exactly like conventional mammograms but are recorded by means of an electronic digital detector instead of the film (Digital Mammography Submitted by: Mark Helvie, M.D. (http://www.cancernews.com/data/Article/210.asp)."

This image can be displayed on television styled monitors almost instantly, which provides the screener the ability to manipulate the image while the patient is still in the exam room. If another image is needed it can be done quickly at that time.