The George Washington Hospital now offers women a more dependable option for breast cancer screening. Digital mammography is a new and highly advanced procedure for breast cancer screening. The procedure will not change for patients; however, the use of technology similar to that in digital cameras will drastically improve results. The new machines take an electronic image of the breast and store it on a computer, allowing it to be enhanced, modified or manipulated for further evaluation. Unlike film mammography, digital mammograms can be viewed on a computer, printed and can even produce traditional films, allowing for improved means of transmission, storage and retrieval of images. Digital imaging allows the images to be manipulated in numerous ways to aid in the identification of tumors.
Digital mammography can provide significant improvement in breast cancer detection for some women. Specifically, studies have found enhanced detection through digital mammography in the following groups:
- Women under the age of 50
- Women with dense breasts
- Premenopausal and perimenopausal women
Digital mammography also possesses considerable advantages in terms of radiation use. The new system is able to use a lower dosage of radiation without compromising its diagnostic accuracy.
The ability of digital mammography to improve the detection of breast cancer in many women makes it an important addition to the GW Hospital and the services that we offer our patients.
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