喵咪社区

3D mammography is the latest innovation in breast cancer screening technology, but how is it different from traditional 2D screening? Here鈥檚 what you need to know.

Mammograms have been a mainstay in breast cancer screening for a long time, and for good reason: Early detection can . A , or X-ray image of the breast, is able to detect breast cancer before any signs or symptoms appear, and it can reveal tumors that might not be felt in a physical breast exam.

But, like most things in life, mammography isn鈥檛 perfect. Among the most common concerns are false-positive results, overdiagnosis (and consequent overtreatment) and false-negative results. However, as mammography technology advances, it鈥檚 becoming more and more precise. That鈥檚 where 3D mammography comes in.

How mammogram technology has evolved

Over the decades, mammography has changed dramatically.

鈥淥riginally, we took an X-ray of the breast and essentially got a photograph,鈥� says Pulin A. Sheth, MD, a radiologist and director of breast imaging with the 喵咪社区 Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, part of 喵咪社区. 鈥淲e would then shine a light through the photograph, as you would with a light box, and see what was visible. As one can imagine, there were so many limitations with that early technology.鈥�

Sheth explains that digital mammography, or 2D mammography, became the next standard of care. Compared to the old analog technology, this newer digital technology, also known as full-field digital mammography, significantly improved the resolution of the picture.

鈥淭he latest evolution is what is referred to as 3D mammography or digital breast tomosynthesis,鈥� Sheth explains. 鈥淏asically, the machine takes several fractionated images of the compressed breast at different angles, then reprocesses those images into sequential 鈥榮lices,鈥� thereby reconstructing the breast into a 3D data set.鈥�

Are the results from a 3D mammogram that much better?

鈥淭he answer is unequivocally yes,鈥� Sheth says. 鈥淭hink of a standard 2D mammogram as a circle drawn on paper, whereas 3D mammography gives you a sphere. The viewer now gets a far better sense of the size, margins (or borders) and depth and can see through the breast tissues.鈥�

He explains that have shown 3D mammography both increases the detection of small, early, treatable cancers and simultaneously decreases the false positives, or unnecessary callbacks. Furthermore, a 3D mammogram can help identify tumors that may not, at first, look particularly suspicious in 2D.

One other way that 2D and 3D mammograms differ is the amount of radiation exposure. Because a 3D mammogram involves more X-rays, it may expose patients to more radiation; however, as Sheth notes, the radiation dose is minimal and well within established safety guidelines. In fact, 3D mammography has the potential to limit radiation exposure by decreasing unnecessary callbacks and additional views.

鈥淭here鈥檚 little doubt that 3D mammograms are a significant step forward,鈥� he says. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e a generational leap in the early detection of breast cancer.鈥�

Topics