Going Digital

New mammography technique offers benefits for patients.

If you've ever used a digital camera, you know how easy it is to improve the image. With a click or two, gone are your daughter's red eyes or that fleck of dust that was on the lens. You don't need to retake a photo that suffers from a small blemish. With digital mammography, radiologists can make the same types of adjustments to mammograms, tweaking the image so they can best read it.

"Digital images can be manipulated by the radiologist so it's easier to look for abnormalities," explains Amy Balis, M.D., a radiologist on the medical staff at Baylor Medical Center at Irving.

As far as the test itself goes, the patient may not notice much of a difference between getting a digital or film-screen mammogram. Women follow the same procedure, and breast positioning and compression are the same.

But digital mammography, offered at the Baylor Irving Coppell location and available at Baylor Irving within two years, can offer some benefits:

• The radiologist can adjust the brightness and contrast, and zoom in for a closer look.
• Images are usually ready in seconds, so you don't need to wait for your film to be developed.
• Digital images typically aren't under- or overexposed, so you are less likely to need to have your mammogram repeated.
• Digital images are easy to store, access and retrieve electronically, making it simple to send a copy to another facility or request a second opinion. Also, it's easy to make and store a backup copy in case the original is lost or damaged.
• Digital mammograms use a lower dose of radiation.

For most women, digital and film mammograms provide similar results. But a study published last September found that digital mammography was slightly better than traditional mammography for women who:

• are under age 50
• have dense breasts
• are pre- or perimenopausal

Dr. Balis reminds women that the most important thing is getting mammograms regularly. Mammography is an important screening tool for breast cancer, and the American Cancer Society makes these recommendations for the test:

• Women should have mammograms every year beginning at age 40.
• Women at higher risk for breast cancer should follow their doctor's recommendations for earlier and/or more frequent screening.

By Stephanie Thurrott

If you would like more information about scheduling digital mammography and other tests at the Irving Coppell location, call (972) 579-4333.