Approximately 35%-40% of women who suffer a diagnostic
mammogram screening are detected as having dense breasts. Though density of
breasts is not a disease in itself, it
makes it hard to identify breast cancer.
Tomosynthesis is typically the first screening test done to spot
out breast cancer with women and is as well known as tomo. This is again a non
invasive test and in this low power X-rays of the breasts are taken to study
the formation of the breast tissue. Any anomalies in the breast tissue
structure turn out to be evident in the images produces by tomo and can be examined
by a proficient radiologist. These abnormalities can be tagged as cancerous or
non cancerous due to their properties.
However, if a woman has dense breast tissue then it becomes hard
to differentiate between normal tissue and cancerous one. This is the reason that
additional screening tests like MRI and ultrasound have to be done.
One of the screening tests done along with mammography is
Magnetic resonance imaging. Breast MRI is as well
used with a dissimilar agent in order to study the formation of the breast tissues
and the blood flow. This is since cancerous tissues have unusual or increased
blood flow. The contrast agent is injected intravenously into the patient prior
to the imaging is done.
However, it is not sensible for women who are pregnant or
have had a metallic implant like a pacemaker. In spite of this, MRI considerably
increases the probability of detecting breast cancer in women when combined
with mammography particularly in cases of high breast density.
