According to a presentation made recently at a radiology-centered medical convention, a study was presented that showed breast cancer screening utilizing 3D mammography, also known as breast tomosynthesis or digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT), identifies smaller breast cancer when compared to 2D screening mammography.
This finding indicates that this technology can improve health outcomes for women diagnosed with early breast cancer.
Smaller is better
The study, conducted by researchers from Yale University, touts 3D mammography as being critical in reducing false-positive recalls from screening mammograms.
The study included over 40,000 screening mammograms from 2008-2011 and over 28,000 from 2011-2016. The difference between the two groups is that the second group included 3D mammography technology.
The crux of the study was that the mean size of invasive cancers identified via 3D mammography was smaller the the size found via conventional 2D techniques. And, 3D mammography had few positive axillary lymph nodes compared to 2D. Why is this significant?
As one researcher said, “Our results show that DBT performs better than 2D mammography alone in what we expect from a screening tool, which is early detection of clinically significant cancers before they spread to axillary lymph nodes.”
When cancer spreads to the lymph nodes, the mortality from breast cancer increases.
3D mammography at four DIS lcoations
Diagnostic Imaging Services offers the superiority of 3D mammography at four locations. The number of women choosing 3D is increasing at our centers as the understanding of the advantages provided by 3D mammography becomes more prevalent in the general public.
Better detection. Decreased numbers for returning to our center for additional testing due to an uncertain screening mammogram. So much more for our radiologists to evaluate so they can provide a more thorough screening analysis.
That’s the power of 3D mammography.