Digital Breast Screening
JCA Medical Semianrs hold a two day Digital Breast Screening event at the Nightingale Centre based at Wythenshawe hospital. The event covers planning and implementing digital technology, staffing and mobile units, a guided tour looking at department flow, reporting, and digital acquisition. Please visit our Upcoming Seminars page for dates and information.
Digital breast screening uses a mammogram machine which captures images digitally to a computer. Like a traditional mammogram it uses compression and x-rays to image the breast, but without film to develop the image can be sent to the radiologist straight away making the whole process much faster. Images can be viewed on screen which allows the radiologist use of zoom and contrast control to make the breast easier to see and more accurately examine. It also makes it possible to retake the image quickly if need be. This all improves the patient’s experience, reducing stress and the need for call-backs.
Digital mammography also uses less radiation than is used with film mammography - which reduces a patient’s lifetime exposure to x-rays.
A study by the National Cancer Institute that compared digital mammography to traditional film mammography found digital mammography to be more accurate at finding cancer in women less than 50 years old with dense breast tissue.
It is also called a full-field digital mammogram.