Digital Mammography — Early Breast Cancer Detection

What Is Digital Mammography?

Digital Mammography is the imaging technique that captures breast images electronically, replacing conventional film-based mammography. It encompasses two main technologies: Full-Field Digital Mammography (FFDM) and Digital Breast Tomosynthesis (DBT), also known as 3D mammography.

Digital mammography offers significant advantages over conventional film. Superior contrast enables better tissue differentiation, especially in dense breasts. Digital images can be processed, adjusted, and analyzed with CAD (Computer-Aided Detection) tools to identify subtle lesions. Additionally, digital storage and distribution through PACS eliminate the need for physical films and facilitate teleradiology.

Key market players include Hologic, GE, Fujifilm, and Carestream. Tomosynthesis (DBT) represents the most recent evolution, generating multiple breast slices that reduce tissue overlap and improve lesion detection, particularly in dense breasts. National screening programs are progressively adopting digital mammography and tomosynthesis as the standard.

Why It Matters in Healthcare

• Early detection: digital mammography is the most effective tool for early detection of breast cancer, the most common malignancy in women.
• Better contrast: superior tissue differentiation compared to film, especially in dense breasts.
• CAD compatibility: digital images enable analysis with CAD, which flags suspicious areas for radiologist review.
• Tomosynthesis (3D): reduces tissue overlap, decreasing false positives and improving detection rates.
• Digital storage and distribution: PACS enables long-term archival, prior study comparison, and remote access.
• Screening programs: national mass screening programs benefit from the efficiency and traceability of digital mammography.

How Davix Relates to Digital Mammography

• The Davix PACS/RIS stores and manages mammographic studies with specialized viewing tools, including optimized hanging protocols for mammography.
• Support for mammography CAD integration, presenting computer-aided detection findings directly in the diagnostic viewer.
• DICOM-compliant storage ensuring long-term preservation of mammographic studies and temporal comparison.
• Multi-site access enables breast cancer screening programs to centralize reading and study management from multiple centers.
• Web-based viewer that facilitates breast teleradiology, enabling remote reading by breast imaging specialists.

Optimize your digital mammography program with cutting-edge technology. Discover Davix PACS/RIS and its specialized breast imaging tools.