A Faster, Cheaper, Better Mammogram

Digital technology improves results for dense tissue

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TUESDAY, Aug. 26, 2003 (HealthDayNews) -- Contrast digital mammography makes it easier to detect breast cancer in dense breast tissue, says a Canadian study.

Using intravenous iodine contrast in conjunction with digital mammography, the researchers evaluated 22 women with suspicious abnormalities that were found using conventional film mammography.

Ten of the 22 women had biopsy-proven cancers, and contrast digital mammography accurately identified the cancer in 8 of the 10 cases. Conventional mammography indicated that benign lesions in the 12 other patients were suspicious and required biopsy, but contrast digital mammography found that only five of the benign lesions were suspicious.

That result indicates that contrast digital mammography may significantly reduce false positive breast cancer findings and subsequent unnecessary biopsies, says the study, which appears in the September issue of the journal Radiology.

"This advanced digital application is increasing the potential of mammography," researcher Dr. Roberta A. Jong says in a news release. "Contrast digital mammography makes cancers stand out against dense breast tissue that previously hid tumors with conventional film mammography." Jong is head of the breast imaging division at the Sunnybrook and Women's College Health Sciences Center in Toronto.

"In the future, contrast digital mammography will help radiologists better detect breast cancer in dense breasts in a way that is much faster and less costly than contrast MRI, yet better than film mammography," Jong says.

More information

Here's where you can learn more about breast cancer.

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