Monday 9 July 2018

How tomosynthesis is different from mammography

Tomosynthesis is considered a more advanced and detailed imaging technique than a mammogram in the following ways:
·       With the benefits of 3-dimensional images, tomosynthesis can look at multiple layers of the breast. This allows this method to fill in the gaps or limitations that traditional mammograms have since a mammogram only captures a 2-D image.
·       It can detect breast cancer before many women ever start to have any symptoms.
·       The 3-D imaging of a tomosynthesis allows your doctor to see small lesions (damage or change in the tissue of an organism) and other signs of breast cancer earlier than a traditional mammogram.
·       Tomosynthesis is more accurate than mammograms and also helps to minimize false positives that mammograms can give.
·       In terms of comfort, tomosynthesis does not require to compress the breast like they would be during traditional mammography.
Some positive aspects of using tomosynthesis
1.     It gives us better results and screening for dense breasts.
2.     Helps in detecting breast cancer at an early stage.
3.     Less suffering since there is no breast compression.
4.     Detection of breast cancer in women with no symptom.

The procedure for a tomosynthesis is very similar to that of a mammogram. Both tomosynthesis and mammogram use the same imaging machine. However, the type of images it takes is different because not all mammogram machines are able to take tomosynthesis images. In the case of the mammogram, two x-rays are taken of each breast. Tomosynthesis is taking multiple images of the breast. Overall, the time duration taken by tomosynthesis procedure is 15 minutes. Mammograms and tomosynthesis exams can be recorded digitally and stored electronically on computers. These x-ray exams are fast and easy which consumes less time and the equipment used in these x-rays are normally less expensive in the market. 

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