Each year, one out of every eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Over the last decade, the number of deaths as a result of breast cancer has increasingly declined. This drop is in deaths is due to technology and awareness. Today, more women are having regular mammograms which can detect the disease early. There are a number of imaging options available for diagnostics. Understanding how cancer metastasis imaging works can help you get the tests you need to receive the treatment that can save your life.
In the past, a mammogram was the only choice for recording breast images on screen. Today, with the advances in technology, digital imaging is available. This diagnostic tool uses a computer to capture the image, store the information, and analyze it. The images are obtained when x-rays are sent through the breast tissue. Your doctor will recommend either the digital mammogram or films.
Once the images of the breast tissue are collected, a radiologist analyzes them for any abnormalities. If there are previous tests, the new images are compared with them and assessed for any changes. It does not matter if your test is done using a digital or film mammogram, the experience you will have is the same.
To capture the best possible image using film or digital tests, technicians will compress the breasts. The breasts are flattened between specially designed plates and x ray is then used to capture images. The process will take about twenty minutes regardless if the technician uses digital or film.
Although x-rays have been used to detect breast cancer for almost a century, the current film mammogram has been in existence for about forty two years. This procedure records the images on film similar to how a traditional camera does. X-rays are still being used in digital mammograms, however they are converted to electric signals and stored in a computer. This process is very similar to how digital cameras capture and store images.
Research suggests that the film mammograms miss ten to twenty percent of carcinomas. Although film is still very effective, the digital mammogram has a much higher rate of detection. Research has also found the digital diagnostic tool to be superior to film for females younger than fifty, women who have dense breast tissue, and those who are pre-menopausal or who have been menopausal less than a year.
Researchers found that the kinds of carcinomas detected using digital mammograms, that had been missed using film, tend to be the fatal types. One benefit of a digital image is that it is stored electronically so it is analyzed by the radiologists and the computer providing a more accurate report. The digital images can be manipulated, improving the visibility and clarity. An example of this is changing the contrast to offer a picture that is much clearer.
Once you understand how cancer metastasis imaging works, you will feel more comfortable with the procedures. Film and digital mammograms are the most commonly used test to detect cancer, however there are other tools that can be used such as MRI and ultrasound.
Author Resource:-
One of the top digital imaging companies providing modalities specifically designed for preclinical research such as in vivo imaging,cancer metastasis imaging, high-resolution imaging, Biomarker, and more.
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