Mammography
Breast cancer is one if the greatest scares that face the female population every year. However, with numerous studies done on the disease, early diagnosis and better treatment options have been achieved.
Since there have been ongoing controversies regarding the efficiency of the conventional breast self examinations, experts are trying to find more reliable methods of detecting breast cancer. Clinical exams are recommended especially for those who are seeing changes in their breasts. But, not all breast cancers give out warning signals. Some do not exhibit the usual breast cancer symptoms. Thus, there’s a need for a far better method of detecting the onset of the disease.
Mammography is a breast imaging technique that uses the X-ray system in detecting breast cancer in women. A mammogram, or mammography exam, is a painless process of checking the breasts for cysts and tumors. Since this breast imaging makes use of the x-ray system or radiography, it means that the breasts are exposed to a low dose of ionizing radiation necessary to produce the images.
Mammography has been proven to be very effective in the early detection of breast cancer and in the decrease of deaths due to the disease. This technique is capable of showing possible changes in the breast way before the doctor can see or feel such changes. Because of this, experts are encouraging women 40 years old and above to undergo mammography every year. However, those who are below 40 years old but have higher risks of getting the disease are advised to talk to their health care providers on how often they need to undergo the test.
There are two reasons why doctors advice mammography: for screening, and for diagnosis. Screening mammography is the breast examination for women who do not have any symptoms of breast cancer. This exam is done simply as precautionary means, or in order to see the presence of breast cancer in its earliest stage. Screening mammography largely improves one’s probabilities for successful treatment of the disease.
Diagnostic mammography is done on women who have seen or felt breast cancer symptoms or have been found to possess breast abnormalities during screening mammography. Diagnostic mammography is a more extensive breast exam, because this will show the exact details of the abnormalities.
Right now, there are two other improvements to the conventional mammography exam: the digital mammography, and the computer-aided detection. Digital mammography, otherwise known as Full-Field Digital Mammography (FFDM), works by replacing the traditional x-ray film with solid-state detectors and converting them into electric signals. The images produced by the electric signals may be viewed on the computer or may be printed on films like the ones used in the traditional mammograms. Most patients though, consider digital mammography and conventional mammography as fairly similar in terms of efficiency.
Computer Aided Detection (CAD) is another enhancement to the standard mammography technique. This method is closely associated with digital mammography, and was said to have increased the reliability of mammography exams by 20%. CAD is used as soon as the radiologist has finished processing all the digital breast images and has made the interpretations. CAD mammography rechecks the images and calls the attention of the radiologist on certain suspicious areas. CAD works to make certain that the radiologist does not miss any area that may be a potential abnormality.
Comparing digital versus analog mammography is not difficult. Most patients do not see any distinctive difference between the two techniques. However, digital mammography actually provides more room for better diagnosis, and requires lesser patient exposure.
Regardless what mammography technique you wish to have, it does not really affect the efficiency of mammography exam in general.