Breast cancer is the second-leading cause of death in women, after lung cancer. The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about one in seven; the chance of dying from it is about 1 in 33.
A screening mammogram is an X-ray exam of the breast in a woman who has no symptoms. The goal is to find any lump that may be too small to be felt by a woman or her doctor, which greatly improves the chance of successful treatment. The American Cancer Society recommends that women age 40 and older have a screening mammogram every year.
TMH now offers digital mammography services at the Sharon Ewing Walker Breast Health Center. A doctor's prescription is required. For information or to make an appointment, call (850) 431-LIFE (5433).
Digital Mammography
The Sharon Ewing Walker Breast Health Center offers digital mammograms in a warm environment with the comfort of Mammopad® — a soft, foam pad that creates a cushion between you and the mammography machine.
What are the differences between digital and film based mammography?
Positioning and compression of the breasts are identical in both a film and a digital mammography examination. Standard film mammography is also similar to digital mammography in that x-rays are used to produce an image of the breast, but digital mammography uses less radiation.
While standard mammogram images are recorded on large sheets of photographic film, digital images are captured electronically and viewed on a computer monitor. They are stored on a computer and their magnification, brightness and contrast can be changed after the examination to help the doctor more clearly see certain areas. Digital mammography images can also become a part of a patient’s electronic medical record.
Is digital mammography more accurate?
Overall, film and digital mammography are equally accurate, according to a study published on the New England Journal of Medicine’s web site on September 16, 2005.* However, the study’s preliminary findings indicate that digital mammography may be better than conventional film mammography at detecting breast cancer in certain groups of women, such as women with dense breasts, women under age 50 and women who are pre-and peri-menopausal. We encourage you to discuss the advantages of digital mammography with your physician.
