We expect our initiatives to extend to all women at risk of developing breast cancer, as well as to the 182,000 women nationwide who will be diagnosed with breast cancer this year. Magee-Womens Hospital is among the first in the nation to install a clinical digital mammography system. Manufactured by GE Medical Systems, the Senographe 2000D is the only FDA-approved digital mammography device in use. The data are sent to an image processor, and the resulting images can be modified onscreen.
Digital mammography offers a number of practical advantages.
During digital mammography, radiology technologists can acquire and view images of the breast in less than a minute as the patient remains in the mammography room. If a digital image is unacceptable, the patient can be repositioned immediately for a new image rather than sent home and possibly called back for a repeat mammogram, as would be the case in standard X-ray mammography. Thus, digital mammography is quick and has the potential to reduce patient anxiety and inconvenience. Moreover, digital mammograms are easily archived and electronically transferable, making them ideal for teaching purposes and for evaluation during long-distance telemedicine consultations. Although standard X-ray is an effective tool, digital mammograms offer potential clinical benefits over this existing technology.