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Consistent participation in mammography screenings has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by 30% to 40% among women over the age of 50.
Digital mammography is a game-changer in breast cancer screening. (Photo credit: izusek/E+/Getty Images)
New Delhi: Breast cancer cases are on the rise, making it one of the most prevalent cancers among women. According to the WHO, over 2.3 million women were diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020 alone. This growing trend is concerning, as early detection is critical in expanding treatment options and improving outcomes.
Talking about the evolution in cancer diagnosis, Dr. Rama Krishnan, Radiologist at Neuberg Diagnostics, said “Elderly women are not the only ones who might be struck by breast cancer. There are age 50 women and older women, women with breast cancer in their family history, and women and men with BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations who are at risk. Given the alarming statistics and the numerous contributing factors, early diagnosis of breast cancer is crucial for improving patient outcomes. Digital mammography plays a key role in this process. Unlike traditional breast radiography, which produces images on film, digital mammography creates electronic images that can be enhanced, manipulated, and stored electronically. This modern approach enables more accurate and efficient diagnosis, which is essential in the early detection and treatment of breast cancer. Better-quality pictures help visualize the breast tissues more clearly, which helps clinicians identify any potential problem at initial stages.”
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The Efficacy of Digital Mammography
Digital mammography refers to using a more sophisticated low-radiation imaging system to take high-tech pictures of breast tissue. It captures high-quality images that may be optimized for brightness, contrast, and magnification. This advanced capability enables radiologists to capture intricate details in mammary tissues, even detecting subtle changes that may go unnoticed with traditional mammograms. It is particularly advantageous for patients with dense breast tissue, where thickened cartilage can often obscure visibility in standard imaging methods.
Tumours may be elusive to visualization in conventional mammography for patients with dense breasts but for the digital version, the physician can optimize the images and reduce tissues that overlap making it easy to see the tumor. This approach minimises the chances of both false positives and false negatives, ensuring that fewer patients are subjected to unnecessary invasive procedures and that treatments are more precisely aligned with individual needs.
How Digital Mammography Helps in the Diagnosis of Breast Cancer
In case a woman opts for digital mammography, the specialist carries out a procedure where the images that have been obtained are scanned for any suspicious features that include lumps, and small deposits that build up into calcium deposits known as calcifications and tissue distortions. Areas of abnormality may be seen in shadows or it may seem in an incomprehensible shape that is likely to raise the suspicion of the radiologist necessitating further examination.
If abnormalities are found, additional diagnostic procedures such as a biopsy may be recommended to ascertain whether the lump is benign or malignant. Among the many advantages of digital mammography technology, one of the most important has to be the fact that it usually detects these defects when they are too small to feel able in self-examination routines or clinical visits and thus helps in early initiation of treatment.
Breast cancer is one health ailment that needs early screening, especially for patients with high risk. The possibility of successful treatment is greatest when breast cancer has been discovered at the earliest possible stage. Consistent participation in mammography screenings has been shown to reduce breast cancer mortality by 30% to 40% among women over the age of 50. This is where digital mammography comes in, helping to dramatically improve the images provided, the time taken to provide the results and the quality of the reading conducted.
“Digital mammography is a game-changer in breast cancer screening. Its high-resolution imaging capability allows us to see minute details in breast tissue, especially in dense breasts, which are often challenging to assess with traditional film mammography. By reducing the overlap of tissues, digital mammography minimises the risk of false positives and false negatives, enabling us to provide a more accurate diagnosis. This not only helps avoid unnecessary anxiety and procedures for patients but also ensures that those who need treatment are identified early when intervention can be most effective.”
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